The measures proposed in the vision documents are aimed at improving mobility
India’s specially developed population could actively contribute $1 trillion to the country’s economy by 2047, according to a prominent Indian-American industry leader.
Pranav Desai, the founder of the Voice of Specially Abled People, recently traveled to India and met top leaders of the ruling BJP in New Delhi, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP President JP Nadda; the Gujarat Chief Minister in Ahmedabad to present his vision document for the matter. He also traveled to Goa for a volunteer meeting.
In an interview with PTIDesai said that with the right strategy, policies and action, India’s specially developed population can actively contribute to the country’s economic growth, ultimately achieving a contribution of $1 trillion to the disability sector in Viksit Bharat by 2047.
India can be a leader in this sector. My proposal was well received in New Delhi, Desai said, referring to his discussions with top leaders in India.
Desai said that during his meeting with Sitharaman, he presented a comprehensive tax stimulus package to strengthen divyangjan, a term used to refer to specially-abled persons.
This package is designed to support the achievement of the $1 trillion target by 2047 by kick-starting economic activities and recruiting directly/indirectly for the disability sector, he said.
During his meeting with Nadda, Desai presented Vision 2047 for Divyangjan.
I also explained the strategic importance of the economic argument for transforming the disability sector, rather than the traditional position of viewing the disability sector solely from a welfare perspective. He asked to promote awareness about the capabilities of specially challenged people,” he said.
During my meeting with (Minister of Road Transport and Highways) Shri Nitin Gadkari, I put to him the accessibility and transportation issues faced by people with disabilities,” he said.
The measures proposed in the vision documents aim to improve mobility and ensure their active participation in accessibility throughout transport, he said.
I have also suggested that the level of recruitment of Divyangjan by the ministry and external vendors should be made mandatory/recommended, he added.
Desai said he met Priti Adani, chairman of Adani Foundation, to explore and create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in various business units.
They are working on a memorandum of understanding that aims to leverage the strengths and resources of the Adani Foundation to hire up to 10,000 people from the disability sector for sectors such as solar installation, he said.
He said the discussion with the Chief Minister of Gujarat was aimed at creating an inclusive and accessible Gujarat, empowering people with special disabilities and harnessing their potential to contribute to the $1 trillion economic target of the disability sector in Viksit Bharat by 2047.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
First print: January 31, 2024 | 9:45 am IST