NL Correspondent
Srinagar: The state government has failed to frame a policy for blind people despite Jammu and Kashmir having over 70,000 visually impaired persons.
As per the 2011 census, the state has around 68,000 visually impaired people as its citizens. However, since then the number has increased. Officials believe that the number could have reached over 70,000. Despite that the government has failed to frame the policy.
As per the documents, the Centre has set up the target of 82,331 cataract operation of the blind this financial year in Jammu and Kashmir under National Programme for Control of Blindness.
Last year 23,409 cataract operations were performed for blind in the state under this scheme.
The Srinagar city has one school at Solina for the blind and mute children.
Having a roll of nearly 110 children, the school is run by an NGO requiring Rs 8 lakh annually to function.
Reportedly, only Rs 1.5 lakh is provided by the Department of Social Welfare to it
An official of the Social Welfare Department, said that the fund allocation from the Centre for the blind was being provided to them through NGOs.
“It is a fact that we don't have blind homes here, but the grant-in-aid is being provided to the beneficiaries through these NGOs. Only those, which qualify norms and guidelines are given a certain amount based on the number of beneficiaries and sort of assistance to them,” he said.
He however, said the idea related to the establishing blind homes was, however, in process.
“The requirements regarding the project have been put up. The government is in process and was looking for a land to set up the blind home. As of now, many NGOs are working for the blind in rented buildings,” he said.
Sources, however, said the benefits under most of the schemes were not reaching the deserved in absence of a policy and infrastructure.
“It is not only educating them but they require complete rehabilitation. They need to be taught various skills so that they can be empowered by earning livelihood for themselves. Here blind schools, which are privately-owned, teach them,” they said.
Sources said the education of the blind was to be essentially taken care of by the Education Department.
“We see that majority of the blind in Kashmir are illiterate now and only a few go to schools, but then they are very less here. The main purpose of the Social Welfare Department is to facilitate the schemes of benefits for them,” they said.
In 2016 alone, pellets blinded left 1,000 people, either fully or partially.
Presently, the valley does not have a single government-owned home or school for the blind people, who consequently have to rely on the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) for every kind of assistance.
