Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Centre has earmarked Rs. 1800 crore for bettering the lot of persons with physical and mental disabilities, including creating one lakh new jobs each year, Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, said on Sunday.

The jobs would have a salary limit of Rs. 25,000 a month. The annual estimated cost of the scheme was Rs. 150 crore initially. This would be increased up to Rs. 450 crore per annum when the scheme was fully rolled out, she said at the inauguration of the Pathway Vocational Excellence Award For the Mentally Retarded 2007, organised by the Pathway Centres for Rehabilitation and Education of Mentally Retarded, a city-based NGO.

The Finance Ministry had also formulated a special incentive scheme of reimbursement of the Government's contribution of EPF and ESI for a period of three years to employers in the organised sector who employed such persons on a regular basis.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had facilitated setting up of halfway homes by NGOs for housing the mentally ill who are shunned by their families.

Ten such homes had been set up so far which also offered vocational skill training to the residents.

Panchayati Raj institutions were also being encouraged to set up mental healthcare homes for the severely mentally ill, with help from NGOs. Family support groups were also being encouraged to set up custodial care institutions.

The Minister also inaugurated an exhibition of products made by members of various organisations working for the cause of the mentally disabled. She also honoured those who had been selected for the vocational excellence awards.

The Pathway Vocational Excellence Awards were instituted for recognising the abilities and skills of those with mental disabilities, A.D.S.N Prasad, founder director of the organisation, said. More than one hundred mentally handicapped adults from various organisations across the country had submitted entries for the award.

The first and second prizes of Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 12,000 went to S. Lokesh and M. Babith of Sulabha Vocational Training Centre, Mumbai, and the third prize of Rs. 10,000 was won by S Payal.

Ruby Ponniah, Chandra Prasad and Sudha Subramaniam, president, director and director of special projects of Pathway, were also present.