Odisha Expands Opportunities for PwDs Through Strategic Skill Training Collaborations

Bhubaneswar: The Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Odisha has taken a significant step towards enhancing skill training and employment opportunities for PwDs by signing two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The tripartite agreements were inked with AssisTech (IIT, Delhi) and Sakhyam, an NGO, as well as with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bhubaneswar Chapter.

The collaboration with AssisTech, known for providing advanced technological solutions to visually impaired children, aims to focus on education, livelihood, and independent living for visually impaired students. The MoU spans three years, with an initial phase involving activities in six special schools, gradually expanding in subsequent phases. AssisTech will also play a crucial role in training special educators, contributing to the knowledge base for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

Another MoU was signed with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bhubaneswar Chapter, focusing on skill training and placement assistance for PwDs. Operating over the next three years, this partnership aims to provide training in office assistance, tourism, and the hospitality sector, preparing PwD students for meaningful employment opportunities.

Sri Bishnupada Sethi, Principal Secretary of the SSEPD Department, expressed optimism about these collaborations, stating that such strategic understandings would address larger disability issues through effective collaboration. He emphasized the empowerment of PwDs through extensive skilling, making them valuable contributors to the mainstream.

The signatories for the Department included Smt. Niyati Pattnaik, Director, while Prof. Madhusudan Rao and Dipendra Manocha represented AssisTech and Sakhyam, respectively. The MoU with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was signed by Prof. R.N. Pattnaik and Col. Sriprakash Pany, Deputy Chairman. Dillip K. Ray, Special Secretary of the SSEPD Department, and other senior officers were present at the signing ceremony.