3 years on, Rs 1,700 crore project to empower Persons with Disabilities in Tamil Nadu remains on paper
TN RIGHTS scheme planned with World Bank funding is in danger of getting scrapped owing to the delay, lament stakeholders
Local level meeting of the project (file photo)
CHENNAI: A grand plan involving Rs 1,773 crore to empower Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the State, aptly titled TN RIGHTS, unfortunately, remains a non-starter even after three years.
The World Bank-funded project, which was designed for six years, was launched in December 2021 to develop a comprehensive programme for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). However, the stakeholders expressed anguish as the programme remains only on paper, to date.Ironically, a member of the Project Steering Committee (PSC), which was constituted to aid the authorities in paving the way for making strategic decisions for the TN RIGHTS project, said that he was “unaware of the status of the project”.
“So far, I have attended only one meeting. It was an introductory session with fellow members to discuss the objective of the programme. I came to know that a One Stop Social Care Centre is going to be established in some of the districts. But after that there was no communication nor a meeting regarding such initiatives to date,” said Deepak Nathan of the December 3 Movement working for the empowerment of PwDs. He was referring to a meeting that was held on February 17, 2023.
Going by the government order, the members of the project, which is headed by the Chief Secretary, should meet once in six months. Representatives of PwD associations and federations should be invited to the meeting. “Nothing of that sort has taken place,” said Deepak.
The Project Implementation Committee (PIC), which should support the authorities in addressing the issues and establishing a network with stakeholders, also remains dormant, allege stakeholders.
Sources in the department said that the government had allocated Rs 17 crore for the fiscal year 2023-2024 to establish One Stop Social Care Centre (OSSCC), besides providing salary and training for social registry enrolment and procuring mobile outreach therapy vehicles. “The centre will come up in Chennai and four other districts soon,” said a official.
Contradicting the official’s statement, sources involved in the project said that the department decided to take up the project in pilot mode in Chennai, Tiruchy, Tenkasi, Cuddalore, and Dharmapuri for three years. Not a single district-level centre was established in these districts. “Only 10% of the work has been completed since April 2022. At this pace, the project would be tagged as a failure and it would be scrapped,” said the source.