The government has decided to expand the activities of Jatiya Protibandhi Unnayan Foundation (National Foundation for Development of the Disabled) to upazila level gradually for providing realistic services to the people with disabilities.
The decision was taken at the second meeting of Jatiya Protibandhi Unnayan Foundation held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka Wednesday morning.
Bangladesh Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Foundation Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.
After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhuri briefed reporters.
He said the prime minister at the meeting announced to increase the number of beneficiaries of the physically-challenged people who are getting monthly allowance from the government.
“The number of beneficiaries will be raised to six lakh from four lakh and they would get Taka 500 as monthly allowance from the next fiscal year,” she said.
The press secretary said currently, four lakh disabled people of the country are getting monthly allowance of Taka 350 to Taka 500 from the government.
He said the prime minister urged the well-off people to supplement the government stride to ensure welfare of the people with disability.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on raising fund for the welfare of the physically-challenged people under private initiatives.
Citing the success of Bangladeshi physically-challenged people in different international sports meets, the PM asked the authorities concerned to allocate land for their practice.
The press secretary said the meeting also decided to provide community clinic-based healthcare services to the physically-challenged people. “The health ministry would take necessary measures to this end,” he said.
At the meeting, a decision was taken to construct dormitories for the working people with disability at the divisional level.
The meeting was informed that construction of the Jatiya Protibandhi Complex has begun at Mirpur in the capital.
The Jatiya Protibandhi Unnayan Foundation is constructing the complex at a cost of Taka 84 crore.
The meeting was also informed that presently, there are 103 service and help centres for the physically-challenged people across the country. –Our Monitor (Photo: PID)