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New Delhi : Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot felicitated the 17 member Blind Cricket World Cup winning Indian Team and presented them with a cash award of Rs 34 lakh at a function in New Delhi on february 21, 2018.
The Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shakuntala Gamlin and senior officers of the Ministry were among those present on the occasion. The cash award has been given under the Awareness Generation and Publicity Scheme of the Ministry, according to a PIB release.
Addressing the gathering, Gehlot congratulated the team members and wished them luck and success for future. He disclosed that the Ministry is setting up five National Sports Centres in five regions of the country and the States have been asked to provide land for the same.
Madhya Pradesh has already provided land in Gwalior while Punjab and Andhra Pradesh are in the process of granting land in Zirakpur and Visakhapatnam respectively. Sports Centres for Divyangjan require special facilities due to which a detailed project report for these sports centres has been prepared after widespread consultation including those with foreign centres abroad, Gehlot added. He said that special ID cards are being given to the disabled to enable them to avail of the Government policies and about 21 States have already taken up the task of giving such IDs to the Divyangjans.
The Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said that the Government is committed to the welfare of disabled persons under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He congratulated the Blind Cricket World Cup-winning Indian Team and said that they have done the country proud.
Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shakuntala Gamlin said that the Ministry expressed happiness that the winning Indian team has won the World Cup for the second consecutive time by defeating Pakistan at Sharjah. The award ceremony was followed by a cultural programme.