Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 5 (PTI) Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Thursday said the government aims to transform Keralam into India's first differently-abled friendly state through a series of comprehensive initiatives.
Addressing the inaugural function of the 27th State Special School Youth Festival here, Satheesan said the government was working on several projects to make Keralam completely barrier-free for differently-abled persons.
The government would announce the programmes within a month, including initiatives that have not been implemented anywhere else in the country, he said.
"Our biggest dream is to make Keralam the first differently-abled-friendly state in India. We want to embrace all differently-abled children and ensure that they face no barriers," he said.
Recalling a submission he had made in the Assembly during his second term as an MLA for differently-abled people, Satheesan said the government was committed to implementing projects that would serve as a model for the entire country and ensure that they encounter no obstacles in their daily lives.
As part of the initiative, a comprehensive data collection exercise covering differently-abled people across the state will be launched soon. The database would be updated periodically to ensure that the information remains current, he said.
Assuring parents of differently-abled children, the chief minister said they need not be anxious about their children's future as the government would put in place an effective system to protect and support them.
He also announced that all special schools with more than 100 students would be granted aided status by the government.
"Whatever the financial constraints, the government will implement this decision," he added.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)