NT Reporter
Panaji
The state government has launched two digital initiatives, the ‘Divyang Saathi’ chatbot and the ‘Nyay’ portal, to support persons with disabilities and improve access to information and services.
Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai said the chatbot was developed as many persons with visual or physical disabilities find it difficult to visit government offices or panchayats.
“The chatbot functions 24×7 and allows users to ask questions without typing, providing information on government schemes, eligibility criteria, required documents and pension details,” said Phal Dessai, speaking at the launch.
The ‘Nyay’ portal allows citizens to file complaints against government offices from home and track their status.
“A house-to-house survey is being conducted in Sanguem and Bicholim to identify persons with disabilities who are unaware of their eligibility for government benefits. Forty per cent of the survey is completed and so far 600 to 700 PwDs have been identified,” said Phal Dessai.
He urged families to report all types of disabilities, including those arising from accidents or illness, so that assistance could be provided. Social Welfare secretary Prasanna Acharya said the initiative addressed the earlier need for information, which would lead to numerous phone calls and messages to the department.
Officials said the chatbot is WhatsApp-based and collects basic details to provide location-specific information. State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Guruprasad Pawaskar and Director Varsha Naik were present.
