CM opens 'Pratyay', to house mentally-challenged people 'post treatment'

kolkata: The state government has set up a Half-Way-Home (HWH) for the lodging of persons who have been cured of mental illness. The HWH which is the first of its kind in the state has been christened 'Pratyay' by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was inaugurated virtually on Thursday by Banerjee from a programme at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

"There have been instances when persons have been declared medically fit for discharge but for various reasons cannot be immediately sent to their families. The HWH is meant for accommodating these people," Banerjee said.

'Pratyay' situated opposite the Lumbini Park Mental Hospital near Bondel Gate can accommodate 50 male and an equal number of female residents belonging to the age group of 18 to 55 years who were under treatment at Pavlov and Lumbini Park.

The HWH is the joint initiative of the state Women & Child Development (W&CD) and Social Welfare department and state Health and Family Welfare. The building and infrastructure for the Home have been provided by the Health department while it will be run by W&CD department. The state will bear the entire budget for running the Home.

"We aim to provide skill training to the residents of Pratyay so that they become financially self-sufficient and gradually progress towards independent living. The rehabilitation process envisaged is based on consent and participation of the residents of HWH.," a senior official of state W&CD department said.

Shashi Panja, minister-in-charge of the W&CD department was also present at Netaji Indoor from where the facility was inaugurated.