Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Kamalesh Pandey today suggested the Odisha government to open more eye banks to help people with blindness.

Dr. Pandey who was in Odisha since January 27 last told news persons that the government should initiate steps to open eye banks at least in all Government Medical College and Hospitals. He said donation of eye to persons with blindness was too low and a massive awareness campaign should be launched to educate people the need for eye donation, he said.

Dr. Pandey said states like Tamilandu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat are far ahead of other states in this regard. The Commissioner said every year around 30,000 are born with hearing impairment. The state government, he said should facilitate implantation of Cochlea to help them. He said though the Odisha government has taken a number of steps in the disability sector after the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 came into force, but a lot more need to be done.

Dr. Pandey said Odisha is the third state in the country after Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to issue highest number of Universal Disability card. The Commissioner said the pension provided by the state to persons with disabilities need to be hiked in line with Haryana government. He said the Haryana government is increasing the pension of PWDs by Rs. 200 per year and Goa is providing a pension of Rs. 3,500 per month to persons with 90 per cent disability.
Odisha government is providing a pension of Rs. 300 per month to persons with 40 per cent disability and Rs 500 to persons with disability above 60 per cent.

Dr. Pandey said the government has assured to hike the pension every year from the next year. He also suggested the state government to set up training institute to create more special educator to teach persons with disability .