A one-stop centre for skilling and rehabilitation for differently abled-persons debuted in Ranchi’s Namkum block on Wednesday.

The Composite Regional Centre for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (CRC-Ranchi), is a centrally sponsored project by the union ministry of social justice and empowerment.

While inaugurating the centre online from Delhi, Union minister of social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot said that this is the 21st CRC in the country and the first in Ranchi.

“The idea is to provide a one-stop centre for persons with disability for almost all their needs, ranging from rehabilitation, to timely intervention to skilling. The state government has currently given 2.5 acre land for setting up this facility and we expect to get more land for our future expansion in coming months,” he said.

Shakuntala G Gamlin, social justice and empowerment ministry secretary said that CRC Ranchi will currently function under the Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training & Research, Cuttack as its extended arm.

“They will run and operate this centre for the people of Jharkhand while the union government will take care of all its financial requirements. To begin with, we have sanctioned 19 posts on contractual basis across different departments which will be functional here,” she said.

The centre will soon start offering rehabilitation services like physical medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology and speech therapy, psychology, prosthetics & orthotics, special education, early intervention & treatment to persons with disabilities in Jharkhand and adjoining areas, an official said.

“The centre will also implement various schemes for the empowerment of persons with disabilities including skill development programme,” he said.

On the sidelines of the launch, around 40 wheelchairs, 80 tricycles, 64 crutches, 40 smart phones, two sewing machines, and two mobile repairing kits were also distributed among specially-abled people.

All key officials of Gehlot’s department tuned-in for the online inauguration from Delhi. Tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda, Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth, Khiji MLA Rajesh Kachchap and resource persons associated were present at the venue in Ranchi to take part in the ceremonial launch.