Mangalore: DK district Administration, DK ZP Women & Children Welfare dept. (Mangalore), Disabled people and Senior citizens’ Welfare dept, and several NGOs working for disabled persons in coastal region, put up a combined show at Town Hall along with Lions’ Club, Gandhinagar members in city, and organised World Disabled People’s Day 2010 on Friday at 10 am here.
A procession was taken out by disabled persons (children) and self-service bodies representatives attending to them, from Milagres Church grounds to the Town Hall to create public awareness about them on the occasion.
After a prayer and welcome speech, the Day’s regular programme was inaugurated by DK Minister Krishna Palemar by lighting the lamp of knowledge at the Town Hall.
Speaking to the audience on the occasion the Minister pointed out that the disabled may have a physical deficiancy somewhere in their bodies, but they had tremendous talents and working ability with patience and purpose. They took life seriously and did not want sympathy. The government had prepared a long range plan for their suitable employment based on individual capacity and this would be implemented shortly.
There are schools all over the state for them to learn minimum skills and have minimum training with which they could take up employment when they come of age. Their elders should guide them properly and the govt is providing them grants to stand on their own feet, he said.
DK dt alone had 17,000 disabled persons and the state pays Rs. 400 every month for 10,000 among them and Rs. 1000 for around 3000 mentally challenged persons. 50 persons with SSLC have secured jobs in Gram Panchayats, he added.

Chief Guest B. Nagaraja Shetty, who heads Coastal Development Authority (CDA) speaking next, assured those training the disabled Children into useful citizens of the society, that the govt, was thinking of covering them under a special amenities welfare scheme by implementing it. He asked schools managements and teachers to provide mid-day meals to children everyday and cases of omission should be reported to him so that adequate arrangements would be made for mid-day meals disabled children and others.
D.B Puttaswamy, Welfare officer in the Children’s dept welcomed the distinguished guests and invitees earlier.
Participating as chief guest of the day, city MLA and KIIC chairman, N. Yogish Bhat, who also presided, informed the gathering that the state govt had given Rs. 20 crores in the 2009 – 10 Budget.
Lion P. Kishore Rao was the Chief Guest. Lions Muralidhar Nayak, Dinesh Shetty, A. Shakuntala, Ganesh Shetty and others were present. Harish Kalbavi, Lions club chief supervised the proceedings.
Three – wheeler cycles and wheel chairs were distributed to the beneficiaries chosen by B.G.Ed. Charitable Trust.
Lions K. Chandra Mohan, Hareesh Kumble, Sanat Kumar Jai, K. Girish,, Jagdeesh, M. Sudhakar Shetty, Srikumar Shetty, Edwin Karkada, Sabu Joseph, Dayal Martis participated in the proceedings.
A cultural programme of music by Muralidhar Kamat and a magic show by Lion Lolaksha were gone through.

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