A national conference titled “Sustainable Development of Persons with Disabilities through Food Processing Industries” was organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) at Hotel Shivalikview, Chandigarh, recently. The conference focussed on Indian food industry and encouragement of employment opportunities for people with disabilities as a main concern in India.
The Indian food industry is poised for huge growth, increasing its contribution to world food trade every year. In India, the food sector has emerged as a high-growth and high-profit sector due to its immense potential for value addition, particularly within the food processing industry. Enhancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities is one of the main concerns of the disability sector in India.
Ashok Khanna, chairman, State Coordination Committee, ASSOCHAM; extended a warm welcome to Dr Kamlesh Kumar Pandey, chief commissioner for persons with disabilities, ministry of social justice & empowerment, Government of India; S K Gulati, additional chief secretary, department of social justice and empowerment, Government of Haryana, and other dignitaries on the dais, delegates, press and media.
In his welcome address he said that the food processing industry in India has the potential to contribute to the country’s agricultural growth and employment, alleviate rural poverty, guarantee food and nutritional security and contain food inflation.It is widely accepted that the food processing sector is the most appropriate sector for creating jobs for rural poor, and thus reduce the burden on agricultural sector for creation of their livelihood. He further said that improving vocational training and employment opportunities for people with disability is a critical element for enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disability, their families, but there are also substantial gains for the broader economy.
Rama Chari, director, Diversity and Equal Opportunity Centre (DEOC) said that enhancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities is one of the main concerns of the disability sector in India. There is growing evidence that people with disabilities comprise four to 10 per cent of the Indian population (around 40-90 million individuals). The slow progress in expanding opportunities for disabled people in India results in substantial losses to people with disabilities themselves, and to the society and economy at large, in terms of under-developed human capital, loss of output from productive disabled people, and impacts on households and communities.
Dr Kamlesh Kumar Pandey, chief commissioner for persons with disabilities, ministry of social justice & empowerment, Government of India, in his address said that one may hardly find any job or assignment that cannot be performed by the persons with disabilities. If given the proper environment, majority of them can be made economically productive and useful citizens. But as things stand today, the situation is quite precarious in both developed and developing countries, where working age persons with disabilities experience significantly lower employment rates and much higher unemployment rates than in case of persons without disabilities. He proposed that there should be coherence in the policy outlook of the government as multiple ministries and bodies were involved.
S K Gulati, additional chief secretary, department of social justice and empowerment, Government of Haryana, in his address pointed out that according to the Census 2011, there are 26 crore persons with disability in India. This includes persons with visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech impairment, locomotors impairment and mental disabilities. He added that the earlier emphasis on medical rehabilitation has now been replaced by an emphasis on social rehabilitation with right based approach. There has been an increasing recognition of abilities of persons with disabilities and emphasis on mainstreaming them in the society based on their capabilities. People with disabilities constitute a huge talent pool. He further stated that food processing industry is traditionally dominated by unorganised players while entry of multinational companies is driving the growth of organised segment in the industry. Industry growth along with demand for quality standards and technology adoption in manufacturing are driving the need for fresh skilling and upskilling in the sector.
Dr P M Ghole, chief general manager, NABARD, Punjab, in his special address said that optimum opportunities must be provided so as to galvanise the potential and capabilities of the persons with disabilities in food processing industries. Accordingly, a number of schemes/ plans formulated by the Government of India are being implemented for instituting and modernising food processing units, creation of infrastructure, research and development and human resource development,' apart from other promotional measures aimed at expanding the processed food sector. Ironically, there is abysmal lack of awareness or dissemination of information among the persons with disabilities and their careers about the avenues of their engagement in food processing related activities as a sustainable source of livelihood.
