Funds up to Rs400 crore is lying unutilised under the head of various benefit schemes for the disabled in Karnataka, KV Rajanna, the newly-appointed state commissioner for persons with disabilities, disclosed.
Karnataka has a long way to go to become a disabled-friendly state. Lack of proper education, skill training, medical facilities, career opportunities and economic support are the bane of the physically challenged in the state.
Yet, funds up to Rs400 crore is lying unutilised under the head of various benefit schemes for the disabled in Karnataka, KV Rajanna, the newly-appointed state commissioner for persons with disabilities, disclosed.
“According to the Disability Act of 1995, 3% of the money allocated to the various departments in the state has to be used for the development of the disabled. But the money is simply rotting in various departments,” Rajanna told DNA.
“The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike itself has earmarked about Rs10 crore for the benefit of the disabled. But not more than Rs30 lakh has been spent by the Palike under this head,” he pointed out.
The money can be spent on several programmes that will go a long way in integrating the disabled into the society. “Education and medical care are one of the primary concerns. Apart from this, the money can be used to provide economic relief,” he said, citing the example of Pavagada taluk in Tumkur district where the local body has set an example by “spending huge sums of money on education, medical, economic rehabilitation and creating awareness on the situation of the physically challenged”.
The main problem in utilising the funds, according to the commissioner, is the lack of awareness. “The departments do not know what to do with the money. They do not even come to us to find out what needs to be done so as to properly use the money. Instead, when the money is not spent, a resolution is passed to spend the same on other developmental programmes. In doing so, some of the basic rights of the physically challenged stand violated,” he said.
Blaming the taluk and district level monitoring committees for the funds remaining unutilised, Rajanna, said, “There will be apathy towards the problems of the physically challenged, as long as these committees do not put their foot down and get the disabled their due. These committees should be held accountable. Else,
nothing will change,” he observed.
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