Control over implementation of "Accessible Environment" program should be strengthened - the President of Bashkortostan

UFA, 29 December 2014. /Bashinform News Agency, Iliya Spiridonov/. The co-chairman of the local headquarters of the All-Russian People’s Front, the deputy of the State Assembly - Kurultay RB Elvira Aitkulova during a meeting with the head of Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov told about difficulties in local realization of the "Accessible Environment" program.

According to her, many heads of schools and other institutions direct received budgetary funds not on creating conditions for people with disabilities but for routine maintenance.

“It is clear that there are federal funds, there is a task to equip educational institutions, public health, cultural organizations as part of the "Accessible Environment" program,” Elvira Aitkulova explained to journalists. “Here we are talking not only about the ramps for mobility impaired people. We're talking about hearing-impaired citizens, visually impaired citizens. The funds are allocated from the federal budget for these purposes. If we take educational organizations it is on average 2 million rubles per school. In fact, we see that this money is used at the discretion of the head of an educational organization. Thus, it turns out that the money is spent on maintenance, replacement of roof, windows, and not on accessible infrastructure creation. Of course, some of this money is spent exactly on this problem – just to report. And so, generally speaking money is spent very "creatively".

The President of the republic noted that this situation was unacceptable. Public control and supervision by the municipalities and by the Ministry of Education of Bashkortostan should be strengthened.