Govt created 7 Guinness records as it implemented welfare measures for differently-abled: Gehlot

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot Wednesday said the Modi government has set seven Guinness world records in the last five years and a half in implementing welfare measures for differently-abled persons.

The seven records were related to assistance provided by his ministry's department of empowerment of persons with disability (DEPD) to differently-abled persons for purchase/fitting of aids and appliances.

No country has created such a record, Gehlot said while inaugurating a job fair exclusive for differently-abled persons here under the auspices of Ladli foundation.

The DEPD organised around 8,000 camps in various parts of the country in five years and provided 14 lakh equipment worth Rs 850 crore to various categories of such persons, he said.

This included wheelchairs, tricycles, braille materials, crutches, smart walking sticks for visually-impaired people among others, he said, adding that the ministry was also considering to set up an exclusive police station in Delhi with ramps and other facilities to facilitate disabled persons file complaints.

The first record was created as Navasari, Gujarat, on Sept 17, 2016 by fitting 1,200 hearing aids to 600 persons within eight hours at a single location, sources told PTI.

The second was by creating the biggest wheelchair logo/image by 1,000 disabled persons. The third record was for lighting the highest number of oil lamps simultaneously at a single location, they said.

The fourth record was set at Imphal on November 5, 2016 when 3,911 persons with hearing-impairment were fitted with hearing aids in eight hours.

On June 29, 2017, in Rajkot of Gujarat, the fifth record was set with the highest ever participation of 1,445 persons with hearing impairment in a sign language lesson at a single venue while performing the national anthem, they said.

The sixth record was fitting of orthosis (calipers) to 781 mobility impaired persons on a single day. And the seventh record was set at Bharuch, Gujarat, on February 28, 2019 when 260 persons with disabilities were fitted with prosthetic limbs.

Gehlot added that under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, stringent provisions were being enforced to prosecute those who tease, ridicule, harass or attack disabled persons. "The government will continue to monitor its strict enforcement", he said.

DEPD secretary Sakuntala D Gamlin outlined the various welfare measures taken by her department.

Ladli foundation founder Devendra Gupta said over 40 companies participated in the event and offered jobs.