Jammu, Jan 4: Minister for Social Welfare, Education, Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo Sunday addressed the 217th birth anniversary celebrations of Louis Braille at Jammu, to honour the inventor of the tactile reading system that empowers visually impaired people across the world.
Secretary in Social Welfare department, Bashir Ahmad Khan; Director Social Welfare Jammu, Ranjeet Singh; Programme Officer ICDS, district Social Welfare Officer Jammu, Superintendent Rehabilitation Centre for the Speech and Visually Impaired (RSVI) Jammu, parents and large number of visually impaired children were also present on the occasion
Addressing the gathering, the Health Minister said that this event was an important programme as it is related to social causes, adding, “The visually impaired children have immense talent which needs to be tapped for their successful future.” She underscored that the true progress of society could be measured by the care, dignity and opportunity it provided to its most vulnerable sections.
The Minister further highlighted the government’s unwavering commitment to social justice and inclusive development, with special emphasis on the welfare and empowerment of specially abled children.
“Every child is gifted in their own way. It is our shared responsibility to identify their strengths, nurture their abilities and ensure they are never left behind,” the Minister stated.
Sakeena Itoo called for a collective approach towards the hand-holding of specially abled children, stating that they required not only financial assistance but also emotional support, access to quality education, skill development and an enabling environment to realise their full potential.
The Minister also highlighted various initiatives of the Social Welfare Department aimed at early intervention, rehabilitation, inclusive education and livelihood support for persons with disabilities. She urged parents, teachers, civil society organisations and the community at large to work in close coordination with the government to build a more sensitive and inclusive ecosystem.
The Minister further said that J&K was a welfare state and the Social Welfare Department was the main arm of the government for providing welfare to its citizens. She also lauded the efforts of the department and RSVI for bringing confidence in children so that they could perform at such stages.
Sakeena Itoo also said that under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, government was committed for the welfare of specially abled persons, adding that strengthening social welfare framework and promoting inclusive growth remained the core objective of the government.
Paying tributes to Louis Braille on the 217th birth anniversary, the Minister said, “By organising this day, we are remembering a great personality who illuminated the darkness of visually impaired persons by introducing the Braille System by which blind people can read and write by touch.”
On the occasion, the Minister also felicitated various visually impaired children who had received numerous accolades and medals in different sports championships across the country. She also felicitated various children who had excelled in various exams of different classes.