Kathmandu, January 19:

Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Ganesh Shah today said the government was doing its bit to secure the rights of physically disabled people in the new constitution.

Speaking at an interaction on ‘Right and access of people with disabilities in Science and Technology in present context’ organised here today by Conflict Victims and Disabled Society (CVDS), Minister Shah, however, said ensuring the rights of people with disabilities was a great challenge for Nepal.

“But we are working hard to guarantee the rights of physically disabled people in the constitution to create an equitable new Nepal,” he said.

Alleging the government of not being sensitive enough on the issues of people with disabilities, he said, “Science and technology is for all. But the government has failed to draw its attention towards providing the facilities of Information Technology (IT) to the disabled people.”

“Disabled people are differently-abled people. Therefore the trainers should find out the qualities of these people and train them accordingly,” he suggested. He also said the Ministry was preparing necessary software and infrastructures for differently-abled people.

Dr Ram Hari Lamichhane, project manager for Skill for Employment Project, said, “We should not give a negative connotation for disabled people because everyone is capable of doing something. They are not disabled they are differently-abled.” He also said the differently-abled people could work at par with the normal people in this age of science and technology. Lamichhane also urged the government to be sensitive towards the construction of disabled-friendly buildings and infrastructures.Saying that even educated disabled people are being rejected in offices because of the lack of basic computer skills, CVDS president Yuvaraj Thapa, urged Minister Shah to take necessary initiative towards providing computer education to the disabled people.