“Not only the public office buildings in Tamil Nadu were friendly with the differently-abled persons, but the affected people too were provided with quality gadgets in a big way by the DMK government,” Lok Sabha MP K. Kanimozhi said, in Thoothukudi, on August 3.
Speaking at a distribution camp for the persons with disabilities under the CSR initiative of Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) Limited (a Maharatna public sector enterprise of the Ministry of Power) in association with Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) and Thoothukudi district administration, she said that when late CM M. Karunanidhi established an exclusive Ministry for the differently-abled people and held the portfolio, the beneficiaries received special attention.
“Since then, the government had insisted on construction of user-friendly ramps for the differently-abled people that a majority of the public office buildings had the facility. This gave confidence and also motivated the people to approach the officials directly without any assistance,” she said.
The MP said the differently-abled people were hurdle free and thus they should not experience any hurdles. The present government under CM M. K. Stalin continued to give the same attention and she recalled the assistance rendered to the differently-abled people during the natural calamity in the district in December 2023.
Thanking the REC and its independent director Narayanan Thirupathy for giving funds liberally, Ms. Kanimozhi said Thoothukudi has a long wish-list for the differently-abled persons and hoped the Union Government provided funds without interruption.
“There may be differences in ideologies and policies between the Union and State Governments, but when it came to dealing with differently-abled persons, they buried the differences and worked together,” she said.
The REC’s chief programme manager Thara Ramesh welcomed. Thoothukudi District Collector G Lakshmipathi presided over the event. Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan listed out the achievements of the Tamil Nadu government in delivering essentials to the needy people. Thoothukudi Mayor P. Jegan, MLA M. C. Shanmugiah and others offered felicitation. District Differently-Abled Welfare Officer K. B. Piramanayagam proposed vote of thanks.