Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: Social Welfare Department, J&K and National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment organised a meeting through virtual mode with Government officials, NGOs, parents and professionals from UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh for implementation of National Trust Act, 1999 in the Union Territories.
The meeting was graced by Farooq Ahmad Khan, Advisor to Lt Governor, J&K as chief guest while Sheetal Nanda, Secretary, Social Welfare Department J&K was guest of honour. Anjali Bhawra, Secretary, DEPwD and Chairperson, National Trust and Kishore Baburao Surwade, DDG, DEPwD were the special guests.
Opening remarks were made by Nikunja Kishore Sundaray, JS&CEO, National Trust.
The meeting was attended by District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, Chief Education Officers, Chief Medical Officers and District Social Welfare Officers from the various districts of J&K and Ladakh along with other Government officials of Social Welfare Department and organizations, professionals and Divyangjan from the Region.
To enrich the participants with the experience and expertise of implementation of National Trust Act, its schemes and programmes at ground level, various speakers had been invited for the meeting.
Asheesh Singh, District Magistrate, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh shared his knowledge on Local Level Committees and Legal Guardianship while Pankaj Maru, from SNEH NAGDA shared on Disha Care Center Project, his role as LLC NGO Member and on Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme. Shrivastava from Swami Vivekananda, Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh also shared his views on Gharaunda-Lifelong Shelter Home run by the NGO. Apart from this, the work of the Social Welfare Department of Jammu anf Kashmir was shared while overview on National Trust Act and the countrywide implementation of activities was done by UK Shukla, Programme Director, National Trust.
Sheetal Nanda Secretary SWD told that the meeting was one of the first to aim at creating awareness in the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh which were previously excluded from the implementation of the National Trust Act, 1999. She further said that the meeting will pave way for strengthening the activities for Divyangjan in the category of Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities in the UTs.