Mysuru: Regretting that nearly 70 percent of corpus fund earmarked by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) for the welfare of the physically challenged has remained unutilised, MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadeesha said that this was mainly due to lack of awareness among the physically challenged.

He was speaking after inaugurating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities organised by All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) here on Thursday last.

Pointing out that the MCC had allocated Rs. 3.65 crore for the welfare of the disabled in the financial year 2018-19, out of which 70 percent remained unutilised, Jagadeesha called upon the parents of specially- abled children to make use of the facilities that have been made available for their wards.

Maintaining that the MCC has launched a lot of schemes for the benefit of the physically challenged, the Commissioner said that they can always visit the MCC to know about the benefits.

The City Corporation reserves 3 percent of its total budget for physically challenged people.

AIISH Director Dr. M. Pushpavathi said that the focus on specially-abled people must not be restricted to a single day, as otherwise such celebrations will have no meaning. She called upon parents of physically challenged to recognise the talent in their wards and encourage them.