Kathmandu, June 11: Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya, while inaugurating the thirteenth convention of the central assembly of the Nepal Blind Welfare Association here today, said that we should create an environment for providing facilities to the disabled and the blind for their education on par with able bodied people.

Minister Upadhyaya emphasised the need to inspire the blind towards technical education.

Member secretary of the Social Welfare Council Dr. Tika Pokhrel informed that the Ministry of Social Welfare has initiated programmes for giving loans to the disabled and added that they should be provided with the means to earn their living if we are to empower them.

At least one disabled person should be given employment in each government office, he demanded.

Founding chairman of the Nepal Blind Welfare Association Laxmi Narayan Prasad said a special allowance should be provided for the gravely disabled after making a classification of the disabled.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and life member of NBWA Pradip Kumar Shrestha assured that the FNCCI will always be ready to cooperate and create opportunities for employment to the disabled.

Chairman of NBWA Kamal Rupakheti, from the chair, said the government should think how to educate the blind and called for their employment.

On the occasion, Minister Upadhyaya gave away commendation letters to representatives of the employment foundation which has provided employment to the blind since a long time, cash prizes and letters of appreciation to the best teachers of the blind and other staff and provided the Mrs. Ramoladevi Shaha Chhinnalata Scholarship to proficiency level student of Padmakanya Campus Mina Shahi.

At the function, general secretary of the association Rajan Bahadur Raut shed light on the activities of the association, whereas Jiwanlal Piya of the employment foundation, board member of the association Kumar Thapa, and central member and litterateur Shambhu Kumar Milan also expressed their views.

Meanwhile, Minister for Education and Sports Upadhaya inaugurated the 13th convention of Nepal Association for the Welfare of the Blind here today.

On the occasion Minister Upadhyaya also presented letters of appreciation and cash prizes to different organisations providing employment opportunities for the blind people.

The minister also presented the Mrs Ramola Devi Shah (Chinnalata) scholarship award to Miss Meena Shahi, a certificate level student at Padma Kanya Campus, Bagh Bazaar.

Speaking on the occasion Minister Upadhyaya emphasized the need for involvement of the civic society and government cooperation in rehabilitating the disabled persons.

Founding president of the association Dr. Laxmi Narayan Prasad, member-secretary of Social Welfare Council Dr Tika Pokherel, president of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Pradip Kumar Shrestha and other speakers also expressed their views at the function chaired by the association president Kamal Rupakheti.