Chief minister Pramod Sawant offered to make the Purple Fest an annual event if other states do not show interest in hosting it. The festival is Indias first inclusive event celebrating persons with disabilities (PwDs).<\/p>\n
Sawant said the reservation quota in Goa is the highest in the nation, which has been increased from 3% to 4%. Goa government has the highest paying pension of Rs 3,500 for 80% of the retired disabled while the rest get Rs 2,000.<\/p>\n
He added that efforts are under way to make more buildings accessible and UDID certificates for the PwDs are being fast tracked. He also went on to list the several initiatives taken up by the central government for the benefit of the disability community.<\/p>\n
Panaji is the most accessible city in the country with disability accessibility-friendly , said minister for social welfare Subhash Phaldesai. In preparation for the Purple Fest, ramps were installed in some buildings in the city and at Miramar beach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"