National Federation claims cut in aid for specially abled

BENGALURU: Amid criticism against the Karnataka government for allegedly neglecting development projects, specially abled sections have accused the government of cutting grants for the disabled.

After having allocated Rs 58,000 crore for the five guarantee schemes, the government has reportedly reduced funding for welfare projects meant for the specially abled by as much as 80 per cent. The Federation of the Disabled has raised its voice against this and appealed to the government to release the grants. They have also warned that they will stage protest against the government if their demand is not fulfilled by December 2.

Gautam Agarwal, secretary of the Karnataka  chapter of the National Federation of the Disabled, spoke to Public TV and claimed that the state government is doing injustice to the disabled by giving guarantee schemes. “Even if the disabled in the state apply for grants through Seva Sindhu portal, they are not getting any benefits. It may be a wheelchair, a laptop, etc., which has hampered all the schemes”, he said.

The federation has also appealed to the CM and DCM in this regard. “This December 3 is the Day of the Disabled. If the government does not provide the grant by December 2, we will protest from then on” Agarwal said. He criticized the government’s priorities, saying that while they have allocated huge sums for guarantee schemes, they have neglected the needs of the disabled.

Details of grants released by the government in the last five years

Hemant, manager at the National Federation of Blind, Karnataka, said, “Last year, the government sanctioned Rs 60 crore in aid, but this year, it has been reduced to just Rs 10 crore. The government has also cut the grant for the disabled by 80 per cent compared to last year. The list of eligible beneficiaries has increased this year and at least 6,000 applications have been received through Seva Sindhu”, he said.

“There are seven schemes, and the allocated grant was just Rs 10 crore. The government reserves Rs 58,000 crore for guarantee schemes, but cut grants for the disable. This is not at all a fair decision, there are so many grievances to address. Instead of that, the government is doing something else”, Hemant said.

The state government has not come out with any reasons for cutting grants for the disabled and no new schemes have been announced. The government provided 4,000 vehicles at a cost of Rs 54 crore, 400 laptops and 183 Braille kits to the disabled last year. The federation believes that the government may have cut schemes for the disabled due to lack of funds as a result of the guarantee schemes.

“In this year’s budget, the government can provide 350 vehicles, 30 laptops and 130 Braille kits. But there has been no response from the government. I had appealed to all the MLAs, but they did not respond”, Hemant said. The federation has decided to hold a statewide protest on December 2 at Freedom Park in Bengaluru.