PANAJI
In a significant step towards enhancing accessibility and support for persons with disabilities (PwDs), the State government on Wednesday opened up the Centre’s first Pradhan Mantri Divyansha Kendra (PMDK) at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) that will offer temporary and permanent assistive aids to the Divyangians free of cost.
The centre, a collaborative effort involving the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), Goa State Health Department, Goa State Social Welfare Department, and the State Commission of Persons with Disabilities, will also be set up at the South Goa District Hospital.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that all permanent and temporary equipment such as wheelchairs, prosthetics, hearing aids, smart canes and spectacles etc needed by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) as well as senior citizens will be given free of cost through the Kendra.
The PMDK, an initiative of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, through ALIMCO, aims to be a one-stop destination for Divyangjans in Goa.
“This initiative is a crucial step towards creating an inclusive Goa, where Divyangs have easy access to the aids and appliances they need for independent living. The Pradhan Mantri Divyansha Kendra aligns with our commitment to empower every individual in our community,” Sawant said.
