Arunachal boosts aid for school supporting differently abled kids
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Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh deputy CM Chowna Mein on Friday announced a substantial increase in financial assistance to the Donyi-Polo Mission School for the Hearing and Visually Impaired.
The school's annual grant-in-aid will be raised from Rs 1.4 crore to Rs 2 crore, and an additional Rs 5 crore corpus fund will be created to ensure its long-term sustainability, an official statement said. Both commitments, Mein said, will be incorporated in the upcoming state annual budget.
The announcement was made during a workshop of the 'Let's Speak Arunachal' initiative, themed 'Empowering Youth Voices and Building Pathways', organised at the school.
The programme aims to amplify the voices of differently-abled youth through public speaking and civic engagement.
Established in 1990 by former CM Gegong Apang, the school was a pioneering institution in offering free education, therapy, and skill development for children with hearing, visual, and intellectual disabilities. Remembering Apang's contribution, Mein said, "This institution has been a beacon of hope for many students who were marginalised due to their disabilities. Our govt will continue to support it just as past govts have.
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Recognising the vocational talents of the students, the DCM also instructed his office to procure gift paper bags made by the students using recycled waste paper, a gesture aimed at encouraging their creativity and self-reliance.
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