South Korean electronics manufacturer LG Electronics on April 18 said that it plans to help 1,000 visually impaired Indians receive surgery by the end of this year.

The company, which first tapped the Indian market some 20 years ago, said it has already helped 300 Indians receive eye surgery free of charge under cooperation with Sankara Eye Hospital last year, Yonhap news agency reported. Citing the data compiled by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, LG said there were 8.8 million visually impaired people in India. The total accounts for 20 per cent of people around the world suffering from the disability.

The company said the project came as only 1 per cent of such Indians received necessary help. LG Electronics' Indian office said it would continue to roll out various projects to support the handicapped in the country. LG, meanwhile, also joined forces with India's Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to hold the Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities, which aims to provide education and employment opportunities to teenagers with physical challenges.