NEW DELHI: With the grant of permission to the National Institute for Visually Handicapped in Dehradun to start its own radio station, the number of Community Radio Stations has gone up to 66 in the country.

The first CRS being set up specifically for the visually handicapped, the station is expected to be operational within three months. The Letter of Intent by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had been issued to the Institute after recommendations of the Inter Ministerial Committee and seeking requisite clearances from various Ministries.

The CRS will disseminate information on education, training, employment and other facilities available for blind persons, their families and community institutions, and will serve as a platform to showcase talent of the visually handicapped. It will be used as a training studio for blind students of mass communication and Broadcasting.

The Community Radio will provide an opportunity for empowerment of women, to conduct, sponsor, co-ordinate or subsidise research into all aspects of education and rehabilitation of the visually handicapped and to promote the integration of visually handicapped children in schools and adults in the society.