Odisha: Airline takes 44 divyang children on their maiden flight experience

Air India's regional arm Alliance Air gave an opportunity to as many as 44 specially-abled children to take their maiden flight experience with a 40-minute plane ride at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar. The specially-abled celebrated their first flight experience under the ‘Dream Flight’ programme.

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Initiative by NGO 'Swabhiman'

This initiative was taken by a local non-profit outfit "Swabhiman" in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Alliance Air. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for giving the opportunity to specially-abled kids.

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Chief Executive of Swabhiman Sruti Mohapatra said, "Children have a lot of unique potential beyond disabilities. What they lack is a little bit of confidence. This 40 minutes ride in the air will definitely increase the confidence." "There are 44 children with different kinds of disabilities. Now, they have a topic to discuss in the school among others," he added.

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State Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Minister Ashok Panda, Union Civil Aviation Joint Secretary Usha Padhee and Odia film star Akash Dasnayak and Sabyasachi Mishra were present at the airport to see off the children.

(With ANI inputs, Image source - PTI)

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