Subarnapur: In a first of its kind initiative in the country to provide the Children with Special Needs (CWSN) an easy access to all entitlements under Samagra Shiksha programme, Odisha’s Subarnapur district on Tuesday launched a unique digital platform ‘UDYAM’ for the differently-abled children.
UDYAM is a single web platform where the CWSN can apply online for availing benefits, such as escort allowance, transport allowance and stipends, under Samagra Shiksha programme.
UDYAM is also a repository for accessing all type of guidelines, acts, scholarship forms and documents meant for the differently-abled children.
Unveiling the digital platform, Subarnapur Collector Monisha Banerjee expressed her confidence that the initiative will go a long way in addressing the problems faced by the CWSN and their parents in order to access various benefits and schemes.
The government has launched several schemes for the differently-abled children. However, the children and their parents face many difficulties in availing those benefits because they have to visit here and there with hard copies. And it’s a recording procedure and they have to do every year.
With UDYAM initiative, the district administration aims to resolve this problem once for all.
The web platform facilitates the CWSN to submit documents in soft copies just one time. The application procedure will be automated.
The use of digital platform is very simple and user-friendly. It has easy-to-explore options in the dropdown menus. After filling the information, it will automatically go the concerned headmaster and eventually to the approving authority.
The entire system goes paperless once the document is submitted. The children don’t need to submit the same documents next year. It saves times and tiring official procedural works.
In order to maintain transparency in the entire process, the applicants will be alerted about the status of his/her application through mobile SMS in every step.
Apart from helping the differently-abled children to access various entitlements, the website also contains links of useful information meant for the CWSN. It also contains names and contact details of district officials working for the differently-abled children.
As of now, UDYAM has been launched on pilot basis. Necessary changes and modifications will be made for the further enhancement of the platform, said the Subarnapur Collector.
She also said that the initiative is in tune with the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s 5T principles of governance as it emphasises on all elements of 5Ts – time, technology and transparency, teamwork and transformation.