Ranaviru Seva Authority falls short on delivery in supplying needs of disabled servicemen

Disabled servicemen numbering 1,041 have asked the Ranaviru Seva Authority for wheelchairs last year, but only 352 have been distributed, the Annual Report of the Authority for the year 2021 reveals.In the same year, out of over 1,500 servicemen have requested forearm/elbow crutches but only 1,000 of them have been provided with crutches.

In 2021, a total of 135 disabled servicemen requested for walking canes; only 39 of them had been given canes by 31 December 2021. About 96 disabled service personnel were to be provided with walking canes in 2022, the Annual Report said.

The report reveals that the Ranaviru Seva Authority planned to buy 5,540 types of assistive equipment in 2021. However, it was unable to do so due to the Covid-19 pandemic, import delays and shortages in the local market.In the same year, 306 disabled servicemen requested sanitary aid. Financial aid has been granted to only 121 applicants.

In 2017, the Authority launched a programme to complete the construction of 4,450 houses for disabled servicemen in six years. The total cost of the project amounts to 3.2 billion rupees. By the end of 2021, only 2,950 houses had been completed, the report reveals.