Govt stresses on improving IT skills of specially abled persons

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar Friday emphasised the need to make Information and Computer Technology accessible to persons with disabilities so that they could participate in all activities of the society like others.

He said efforts must be made by all stakeholders to improve the IT skills of specially abled persons.

"India is deeply committed to the empowerment and inclusion of persons with disability. All-out steps are being taken to make their life easy and productive by the use of Information Technology," Gurjar said after inaugurating the Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities-2018.

The three day event is being organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in association with Rehabilitation International Korea and LG Electronics, fromNovember 9 to 11.

The objective of the event is to leverage IT skills among youths with disabilities and spread awareness about the application of Information and Computer Technology (ICT) in enhancing their quality of life, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, an official statement said.

The Global ICT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities is a capacity building project that helps such youths to overcome their limitations and challenge themselves for a better future by providing them with access to ICT.

Around 100 youngsters with disabilities (visual, hearing, locomotor and intellectual disability/developmental disorder) from 18 countries-- India, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the UK and the UAE-- are participating in the event this year, the statement said.

India has nominated twelve specially abled youths for the event.

Last year, the event was held in Vietnam, it added.