Breaking Stereotypes

Inclusive festival paints J&K in hues of purple

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: In a splendid culmination on Friday, the inaugural two-day Purple Fest, a pioneering initiative in Jammu and Kashmir, organised by the Social Welfare Department brought boundless joy to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr Virendra Kumar, this inclusive festival celebrated the diverse talents and resilience of Divyangjan and served as a platform for a myriad of activities aimed at showcasing their abilities.
During the two-day event, Persons with Disabilities engaged in a spectrum of 15 sports events – both indoor and outdoor – exhibitions, live demonstrations, cultural shows, movie screenings, disability dialogue, a talent hunt, and a fashion show.
During the event, the Lieutenant Governor felicitated the Divyangjan ambassadors, particularly para-athletes and individuals who have brought honour to the UT and the nation on national and international platforms.
More than 1000 beneficiaries from all the districts of Jammu division were also provided motorised scooties, wheelchairs, hearing aids, smartphones, and other assistive devices targeting saturation of individual beneficial schemes.
Awards were also conferred upon Divyangjan who emerged winners and runners-up at the event. Various NGOs were also acknowledged and appreciated for their commendable work in the field.
Inaugurating J&K’s first Purple Fest, the Lieutenant Governor observed that in many areas of life, be it music, films, sports, art, or literature, persons with disabilities have achieved success and greater goals and today they are inspiring the entire society. He said many such great personalities have proved that they have no less capability than anyone else but they have special abilities to contribute in nation building.
This Festival of Inclusion will be a milestone in the journey of empowerment of Divyangjan in J&K UT. It will inspire every citizen to work unitedly for empowerment and rehabilitation of Divyangjan and to build an inclusive society, he added.
The Lt Governor reiterated the commitment of J&K Administration to create an environment that provides equal opportunities and protects the rights of Divyangjan. “We have achieved saturation in distribution of motorized scooties. The administration has taken over Abhinandan Home for specially-abled students,” he said. In last financial year, 384 Divyangjan were provided government jobs. Reservation has increased from 3 percent to 4 percent. The posts whether under PSC or JKSSB will be filled within 6 months. We will prepare a legal framework to ensure employment opportunities to divyangjan in private sector, the Lt Governor said.
He said, there is a need for all the stakeholders, society, NGOs to adopt a multi-dimensional approach and collaborative efforts to enable persons with disabilities to realize their full individual potential.
“Private companies and individual innovators have made impressive strides in new technology in the last few years. I urge them to develop user friendly instruments for Divyangjan which will help in their rehabilitation process and empowerment,” the Lt Governor said.
Member of Parliament, Jugal Kishore Sharma also spoke at the event and laid emphasis on how the government has widening the social space for the Divyangjan.
Joint Secretary Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Rajeev Sharma visited all the stalls and events.
Twelve Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities from other states apart from 16 other departments from the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development from all over the country participated in the fest.
Participating in the event, the Divyangjans said that this is for the first time that they had felt included at such a scale and been part of such a massive programme.
Rouf dance by hearing and speech impaired children of Kashmir and Dogri folk dance by hearing and speech impaired children of Jammu mesmerized the audience. The dignitaries also visited the stalls set up by Divyangjan at the event which showcased their entrepreneurial skills and contribution to the local economy. Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare, Sheetal Nanda welcomed the dignitaries for attending the event and boosting the morale of the Divyangjan as well as the department working for their welfare. Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar was the chief guest at the valedictory function and prize distribution ceremony. He appreciated the role of Divyangjan and lauded the Social Welfare Department for conducting such an exercise. The event witnessed the participation of more than 5000 individuals including around 2000 students, reflecting a strong call to action for a more inclusive society that acknowledges the remarkable courage, resilience, and determination of those with special abilities.