Gandhinagar, Sep 7 (IANS) Gujarat’s first Assistive Technology Mart (AT Mart) of the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) was inaugurated in Gujarat’s Nadiad on Monday, providing ‘Divyang’ (differently-abled) persons and senior citizens access to a range of assistive devices at a single location.
The centre in Kheda district is the second ALIMCO AT Mart in the country after the first was established in Kanpur.
ALIMCO is a Central government undertaking under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The corporation works to make artificial limbs and assistive devices available across the country at reasonable cost.
The Nadiad mart will provide a range of mobility and daily-use devices, including wheelchairs, walking sticks, electric scooters, bicycles, smart glasses, artificial limbs, crutches and blind sticks.
It will also offer an AI-enabled stick that works in 12 languages, as well as hearing and speech-related aids, including hearing devices.
Assistive technology aimed at helping senior citizens move around safely and independently will also be available.
District Collector N.V. Upadhyay said the opening was a “matter of pride” for Kheda district and described the centre as an important step towards making assistive technologies more accessible.
“The Gujarat’s first and India’s second AT Mart would allow Divyang persons and senior citizens to access devices according to their requirements from a single location,” he added.
ALIMCO Chairman Praveen Kumar described the establishment of the Nadiad centre as a historic step.
He provided information about the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana and Divyang Sadhan Sahay Yojana and said: “ALIMCO would manufacture devices based on the expectations and needs of users.”
He expressed confidence that the initiative could serve as a model at the international level and thanked the Kheda district administration for its support.
Additional Collector Vimal Barot thanked ALIMCO for selecting Nadiad for the initiative.
He said, “In the coming days, AT Marts for Divyang persons could function like supermarkets, bringing a wide range of assistive products under one roof.”
He also referred to the Accessible India Campaign and said the state government was working towards a more sensitive and inclusive approach to disability.
A formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed between Maa Gayatri Ortho Care and ALIMCO during the inauguration.
Gayatri Ortho Care chairman Chandra Gopalji said, “The facilities available at the centre would help reach a larger number of Divyang persons.”
ALIMCO General Manager Ajay Chaudhary outlined the corporation’s activities.
The event was attended by Additional Collector Vimal Barot, ALIMCO Head Praveen Kumar, Western Zone Head Ramesh Chand, North Zone Head Shashir Tripathi, General Manager Ajay Chaudhary and Chandra Gopalji.
The launch comes as ALIMCO expands its network of AT Marts as dedicated outlets for displaying, selling and providing basic service support for assistive products.
Its 2026 framework envisages such marts as a means of improving access to assistive technology and strengthening last-mile delivery.
–IANS
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