Training material in Braille for PR institutions launched

Hyderabad Indira Gandhi Panchayati Raj and Gramin Vikas Sansthan (IGPR and GVS), Government of Rajasthan, under the auspices of the Government of India, in collaboration with Tatsat Foundation, have announced the launch of a series of training material for the benefit of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI).

The introductory training book in Braille was launched on Saturday, to provide greater accessibility and all inclusivity to PwDs, at the National Stakeholders Conference on Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals, held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, in the presence of Ravi Shankar Shrivastav DG IGPRS, Jaipur, Rajasthan, Dr Roderico H Ofrin, representative – WHO, Sunil Kumar, Secretary, MoPR, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary MoH&FW, Dr Chandra Shekhar Kumar Additional Secretary, MoPR, Rekha Yadav, Joint Secretary, MoPR, along with officials of Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, Tatsat Foundation and IGPR & GVS, Government of Rajasthan, amongst others.

Sunil Kumar said, "As a signatory to the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, India is committed to implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the country. The SDG slogan, 'Leave no one behind', is our effort to promote universal access to health care along with economic, social, and environmental security for all."

"This initiative by IGPR and GVS will be a watershed in the empowerment of PwDs and functionaries not only in Rajasthan but across India. Rajasthan is the torch bearer in this respect and we look forward to further the task of implementation of SDGs in Rajasthan effectively," Ravi Srivastava, said.

Government of India and Government of Rajasthan have initiated a resource center, to build a rich repository of training material, rules & regulations, notifications among others in Braille, NVDA and sign languages, for the benefit off and use by the public officials of PRIs and rural development. The resource centre will be used for training, orientation and work processes will be available under open access for use by public officials and various stakeholders for the capacity building in the task of programmes under the PRIs across India.

"The pledge to leave none behind is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It represents commitment by all UN member States. The key objective is to eradicate poverty, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities."

The first training book in the series of Braille books, themed The 73rd Amendment and Panchayati Raj Institutions, is in English and Hindi along with Braille.