In order to provide empowerment to disabled people in Andhra Pradesh and ensure equal opportunities, the state government has issued regulations for the protection of the rights of the disabled, stated a report in The New Indian Express.

The Minister of Women, Children, Differently-abled and Senior Citizens Welfare, KV Usha Sricharan, announced that state-level advisory councils have been formed for people with disabilities and district committees have also been formed under the chairmanship of the district collectors.

“The state government is committed to the complete empowerment of the disabled in Andhra Pradesh. Jagananna believed that there is a need to improve educational opportunities to provide equal opportunities to the disabled and enable them to live independently with self-respect and full participation in society,” said the minister.

The government will provide a 5 per cent reservation for the disabled in all government higher educational institutions and government-aided higher educational institutions in the state.

In addition to this, Minister Usha Sricharan also informed that the maximum age limit for admissions to higher educational institutions has been relaxed by five years to provide equal opportunities to disabled people due to disability.

Meanwhile, the state unit of Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) has demanded that the State government increase the budgetary allocation for higher education in the state.