PRPS is the only cross-disability organization operational in the State of West Bengal in India.Registration under WB Society Registration Act, 1961 with: S/64994, dated:16/05/1990 and Registered with the registration under PWD Act, 1995. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:
PASCHIM BANGA RAJYA PRATIBANDHI SAMMILANI (PRPS) is the only cross-disability organization operational in the State of West Bengal in In
dia. Among the Indian States, West Bengal is the fourth largest State by population and fifth largest by economy. The total population in the State as per Census of India 2011 was ~90.1 million. With only 2.7% of land area, the State is home to around 7.5% of the country’s population with a density that is three times of the national average. The State is administratively divided into 23 districts, that are further divided as blocks. PRPS is functional in most of the blocks in all the districts of West Bengal. PRPS also acts as an apex body for many non- government agencies working in the State and thus it also takes the role of funding multiple change agents operational in the State. With over 150,000 persons with disability as members, PRPS is the largest organization of its kind in India.PRPS adopts a twin pronged approach, wherein it is an organization of the disabled and it also offers services to persons with disabilities, thus making it an organization for the disabled. The seeds for PRPS were sowed when the present day General Secretary of the organization, Mr KantiGanguly during one of his casual outings happened to interact with a disabled boy. Heartily moved by knowing the difficulties faced by such individuals, he requested his associates to convene a meeting of persons with similar difficulties. Such a meeting happened in 1984, and he was awestruck by the turnout and all the more was moved on understanding the socio-economic challenges faced by them. The idea of this casual meet took shape of an organization for the disabled, named Dakshin Sahartali Pratibandhi Sammilani (DSPS) that was to be operational in the southern suburb of Kolkata city, where Mr Kanti Ganguly was residing. While involving himself with the disabled individuals through DSPS, he felt the need for a larger forum that would represent the entire disabled community in the State. Thus PRPS was formed in a Convention on Rights for Disabled that was held at Moulali Yuva Kendra (among the largest and renowned youth convention centre in the city), Kolkata in 1986. It was decided that PRPS will work with all the stakeholders including the government to push for an inclusive society wherein disabled individuals will get their share in the so called main stream and their legitimate demands find a place in the broader discourse. The motto with which PRPS started can be regarded as the precursor to the present disability discourse which has rights at its centre. The prime motto of PRPS then was social recognition and economic rehabilitation, which remains in the ideology of PRPS even today. However, as new ideas emerged, PRPS also adapted itself accordingly. Resultantly PRPS today is one of the very few self-sustained and large organizations that works on almost every type of disability. Vision and Objectives of PRPS :
The PRPS vision is “to emerge as the nodal agency in the eastern part of India to assist, advocate, rehabilitate, empower and finance to develop to the fullest, the potential that lies in each individual with disability and to bring them to the mainstream of the society”. The objectives of PRPS that shall be achievable by inclusive participation of persons with disability are to—
• Advocate for equal opportunities and protection of rights of the disabled to promote an inclusive and barrier free society.
• Disseminate knowledge and awareness and sensitize the community at large to provide equal rights and opportunities to persons with disability
• Promote prevention, identification and early intervention of disabilities and provide education, therapeutic intervention and vocational training for rehabilitation of persons with disability
• Organize training for teachers, therapists, parents and community workers to develop skilled human resources
• Conduct research for better advocacy
• Set-up schools, shelter homes, healthcare centres and other necessary infrastructure to treat and rehabilitate disabled persons. Functional Model of PRPS:
PRPS imbibes the following five major components that are required for improvement of lives of disabled
- Early detection and Identification of disability
- Advocacy for better policies
- Empowerment of disabled
- Rehabilitation of disabled
- Financing for improvement of lives of the disabled. Over the years, PRPS has been implementing various programs under the above aegis. PRPS has initiated multiple programs, built schools and rehabilitation centers and have financed many individuals and entrepreneurship ventures (by the disabled). PRPS has a long association with the disabled and the organizations working in the space. PRPS also have associated with Noble Mission to set-up a school for autistic children. The school is situated in the PRPS campus in Kolkata.
