Govt to set up 100 centres to provide affordable assistive devices to people with disabilities, senior citizens
Goa, Jan 9 (PTI) About 100 centres will be set up by June for providing affordable assistive devices to people with disabilities and senior citizens, a senior official said.
From 10 Pradhan Mantri Divyasha Kendra (PMDK), there are 45 such centres which have been established in all states and Union territories, Disabilities Affairs Department Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal told reporters.
“We plan to further scale up these centres and establish 100 such centres across the country by June this year,” he said.
PMDK is an initiative of the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India and it offers services, including prosthesis and orthosis fitment, audiometry assessments, and after-sales support.
Elaborating further, Aggarwal said earlier it was either through camps or through these 10 centres that people with disabilities could procure assistive devices at reasonable rates.
“Through these centres, we are trying to offer more choices to people. Also, the devices being provided are custom made so it would earlier take longer time for people with disabilities to get the device but now that time is reducing and we are trying to solve the problem by establishing more such centres,” he said.
Aggarwal further said the move also aims to provide more employment opportunities.
