Bhubaneswar: A state-wide campaign to create awareness on disability issues and the Rights of Persons with Disability (PwD) Act 2016 concluded here on Friday.

Sashakt is a initiative to create awareness about people with disabilities and knowledge about the laws and existing government facilities to society by Odisha State disABILITY Network.

The campaign is a multi-level, multi-stakeholder campaign to build awareness about disability issues, new laws and support for an inclusive and accessible environment for individuals with disability in Odisha.

The drive was flagged off on May 9 in Puri and after travelling more than 4100 km across the 30 districts it reached Bhubaneswar on June 13. Public meetings were conducted in 62 blocks and 30 district headquarters. The drive reached out to 50,000 people, through the toll-free number and physical and digital media.

Public meetings, audio-visual shows, photo exhibitions, distribution of leaflets and posters, wall painting, talent show by people with disability and press meets were the key activities of the campaign.

A seminar was held in the city on Friday to discuss the outcome of the campaign. A number of social organisations, experts and government officials took part in it.

"Sashakt discovered the way to come together, get more involved and become more responsive by embracing people with disabilities, changing outlooks and supporting policy changes that affect them," said Sruti Mohapatra who is leading the campaign.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended the meeting and launched a toll-free number on the occasion.

Three sessions focused on discussions about the district issues with ten districts in each session. In these sessions, NGO partners shared the impact of the campaign, deliberated on issues and shared their plan for next phases.

Theatre expert and film maker Ananta Mohapatra made a short film on the campaign which was also screened at the seminar.