More needs to be done for differently abled, say voters

‘Voting has increasingly become accessible’

While the State has made a start with regard to measures taken to assist differently abled people, there is still a long way to go, say voters. Attempts have been made to improve accessibility on roads, but this really needs to be worked upon, says Tiffany Brar, a 32-year-old visually impaired social activist and founder of Jyothirgamaya, a non-profit organisation that works towards empowering visually challenged persons. “Pension for people with disabilities, a sum of ₹1,500, is not realistic for anyone these days. It should be increased to at least a nominal amount of ₹4,000 to ₹5,000,” says Ms. Brar, a resident of Thiruvananthapuram. Rajeev Palluruthy, secretary of the All Kerala Wheelchair Rights Federation, also raises the issue of pensions. “A common welfare pension for all categories of people will not suffice. A specific pension amount for people with disabilities would help, particularly for people who might be completely bedridden,” he says.