Two-day national convention of Saksham in Dehradun

Saksham to project 2012 as Differently-abled Empowerment Year?

By Ravindra Saini in Dehradun

Saksham, a noted organisation dedicated to the cause of differently-abled persons, will observe the year 2012 as Viklang Sashaktikaran Varsh (Differently-abled Empowerment Year). Decision to this effect was taken at the two-day national convention held in Dehradun from November 6 to 7. Hundreds of Saksham workers from across the country participated in the convention.

During the Empowerment Year, different activities, including medical camps, conferences, helping to get certificates from the agencies concerned and also helping them to draw benefits from different government welfare schemes, will be conducted throughout the year to practically empower the physically challenged.

The Saksham has also decided to pressurise the government to enhance the reservation quota for such people from existing 3 per cent to 6 per cent. “It is a matter of concern that the government agencies are not serious towards the problems of differently-abled persons. Even the existing 3 per cent quota for such people is not implemented seriously by majority of the state governments,” said newly elected general secretary of Saksham Shri Ram Agrawal while talking to Organiser. He said the common men need to be educated through different activities to help differently-abled people join the mainstream.

Saksham has decided to set up at least 100 eye banks across the country till the end of next year. A special campaign is being conducted to achieve this objective. According to organising secretary of Saksham Dr Kamlesh Kumar, till now 17 such banks have been set up and rest of the banks would be set up till the end of the next year. The eye banks are being set up to help the visually challenged people get vision. For this objective, former national general secretary Shri Avinash Sagwai has specially been assigned this task. Now he is concentrating on this project as head of the project.

According to Dr Kamlesh Kumar, the work of the organisation has spread in 35 Prants (as per the Sangh planning) and the work in rest of the Prants will be started till the end of this year.

The National Executive of the organisation was also reconstituted at the convention. Dr Milind Kasabekar was re-elected national president while Shri Ram Agrawal of Delhi was elected new national general secretary.

Apart from Shri Avinash Sagwai of Nagpur, Shri Gangadharan of Kerala and Shri Ramesh Savant of Mumbai were elected national vice presidents. Shri Arun Puranmal of Kolkata was elected national treasurer. Dr Kamlesh Kumar will look after the organisation’s work as national organising secretary. Shri Ajay Joshi of Nagpur will be office secretary. Shri Kashinath Ambraju is national executive member and also Prachar Pramukh. Shri Shrish Dwarbekar is an invitee. Dr Omprakash Agnihotri will be research head. Shri Damodar Bapat of Chhattisgarh will be patron of the organisation.

Addressing the delegates at concluding ceremony, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sewa Pramukh Shri Suhasrao Hiremath said Saksham has now assumed the form of a national organisation and it has effective units in majority of the states. He said the organisation is now in a position to effectively fight for the cause of differently-abled persons. He stressed the need to expand the work of the organisation upto tehsil and village level. He appealed to the workers to strictly show in action what they preach in speeches.

Earlier, speaking at the inaugural session on November 6, Shri Hiremath said dedicated workers are backbone of any organisation and the organisation becomes strong on the basis of workers and not on the basis of money. He said there is no lack of the people doing sewa work in the society, but there is a need to give them a broader vision. He appealed to the workers to think positive and bring the people with positive thinking to the organisation fold.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Shri BC Khanduri formally inaugurated the conference and appealed to the people to help differently-abled persons. He said normally the politicians feel that they are doing remarkable work, but there are many organisations and people at the grass roots level who are rendering exemplary services to different sections. He congratulated Saksham activists for doing exemplary work for the betterment of differently-abled persons. He assured full cooperation from his government to the organisation’s activities in the state.

Noted social activist of Jharkhand Shri Ashok Bhagat was also present as special guest. He stressed the need to bring a change in the mentality of the people towards the differently-abled people as such people also have extraordinary talent.

Kshetra Pracharak Shri Shiv Prakash inaugurated the exhibition on November 5. The exhibition showcased different activities of Saksham. Speaking on the occasion, he said the work being done by Saksham is very important, as it aims at eradicating the sufferings of the largely neglected section of the society. ?