The fourth annual convention of Vikalangula Hakkula Vedika of Andhra Pradesh will be held in Sundaraiah Vignana Kendra, here on August 23 at 9.30 am.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Friday, Vikalangula Hakkula Vedika State president Kolli Nageshwar Rao alleged that the ruling parties were neglecting the handicapped persons due to vote bank politics. Explaining about their struggle for social justice since 2009, he urged former PRP president-turned-Union Minister for Tourism K. Chiranjeevi to take an initiative on the problems of the handicapped and ensure that the State government raise pension for the disabled on par with their counterparts in other States. He also threatened to launch agitation if the government failed to respond to their cry for justice.
Nageshwar Rao has demanded that the State government raise pension of the disabled persons to Rs 2,500. He also demanded free houses and five acres land to the eligible handicapped persons. The other demands include provision of Antyodaya cards to the disabled; seven percent reservation to the disabled in the ensuing local bodies’ elections; enactment of a new law to uphold self-respect of handicapped persons; Rs one lakh loan to all eligible disabled persons without any sureties; free travel facility all over the State; setting up of Disabled Sub-Plan with Rs 2,000 crores and three percent budget in all departments for the welfare of the disabled. (NSS)
