The study on promoting the living standards of differently able persons in Addalaichenai divisional secretariat division – special reference to Oluvil and Palamunai area.

Abstract

Many activities have been taking place in promoting the living standard of differently able persons all over the world. It has been widely accepted that the differently able persons should be treated with fair and dignity as with others in the society. When describing the activities related to persons with disabilities, the WHO in 1980, has adopted an international classification of the terms “Impairment”, “Disability”, and “Handicap”. Impairment is any loss or abnormality physiological or anatomical structure or function. It can be temporary or permanent. A disability is any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity within the range considered normal for a human being. This may also be temporary or permanent. Further, handicap results from impairment or a disability and limits or prevents the fulfillment of a function that is considered normal for human beings. The standard of living in different countries is frequently compared based on annual per capita income and on an individual level; the standard of living is a measure of the quality of life in such areas as housing, food, education, clothing, transportation and employment opportunities. It is the easy by which people living in a time or place are able to satisfy their wants. Palamunai and Oluvil in the Addalaichenai Divisional Secretariat division were selected as the sample location for this research. The area is mostly populated with Tamil speaking Muslims. The survey and interview were used as the technique to collect the data. The total population in the above division is 43,499 and 9,236 in Palamunai and 8,590 in Oluvil respectively. The total differently able persons are 1.1% of total population in Palamunai and 1.6% of total population in Oluvil as in 2008. Out of these differently able persons, 24% of legs impairment, 20% of hands impairment, 13% of vision impairment, and other 43% of other impairments in Oluvil and 27% of legs impairment, 9% of Journal of Social Review Volume 5 (1) June 2018 Department of Social Sciences hands impairment, 8% of vision impairment, and other 56% of other impairment in Palamunai. These people undergo severe hardships in meeting their living means and their main livelihood are sewing (4%), poultry farming (8%), fishing (5%), weaving mats (5%) small business (20%) and begging (5%). Moreover, most of them depend on others (53%). Further, this research identified various problems faced by the differently able persons in the above division and appropriate recommendations for promoting the living standard of the same have been proposed. This would in turn help the Government, INGOs, Politicians, and well wishers to find appropriated strategies to promote their living standards.