JAMMU, Oct 7: Deputy Director General (DDG), Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, Richa Shankar, visited the Composite Regional Centre for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), CRC Jammu, on Wednesday to review rehabilitation services, institutional functioning and infrastructure development.
On her arrival, Shankar was welcomed by a child with disability along with Dr. Rohnika Sharma, Director, CRC Jammu, who presented her with a bouquet.
During the visit, the DDG inspected exhibition stalls displaying items prepared by children with disabilities. She appreciated their creativity, skills and participation in productive activities and encouraged them to continue developing their talents.
She subsequently visited the Special Education and Early Intervention Units, where she reviewed assistive devices, appliances, educational materials and other facilities being used to provide rehabilitation and developmental support to children with disabilities.
Shankar also inaugurated a newly procured LED display screen, podium and speaker system, purchased through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. The new facilities are aimed at strengthening the infrastructure and service delivery capabilities of CRC Jammu.
The DDG inspected various departments and interacted with rehabilitation professionals and staff members. At the Record Room, she reviewed the system for maintaining records related to new patients, follow-up cases and supportive cases and appreciated the efforts towards systematic institutional record-keeping.
The visit also coincided with the observance of World Cerebral Palsy Day, during which children with disabilities actively participated in various activities. The programme highlighted their abilities, creativity, potential and contribution to society while reinforcing the Centre’s commitment to inclusion and empowerment.
As part of the programme, Shankar distributed aids and assistive appliances among persons with disabilities. She stressed the importance of providing appropriate assistive devices to improve functional independence, participation and quality of life.
The DDG appreciated CRC Jammu’s efforts in providing comprehensive rehabilitation, early intervention, special education, assistive devices and skill-development opportunities and encouraged the Centre to continue strengthening initiatives aimed at empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Later, Shankar visited the ongoing construction site of the permanent CRC Jammu building at Vijapur, Samba, where she reviewed the progress of construction and took stock of the infrastructure being developed to expand and strengthen rehabilitation services in the region.
The visit provided an opportunity to assess the overall functioning of CRC Jammu, review rehabilitation facilities and services, interact with beneficiaries and staff, and evaluate ongoing infrastructure development aimed at improving services for persons with disabilities across the region.