CM Bhajan Lal honours para athletes, transfers ₹74 cr pension
Synopsis
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma hosted 'Sapnon Ki Udaan' at his residence, felicitating para athletes Mona Agarwal, Srishti Arora and Krishna Nagar along with D. R. Mehta, while transferring ₹74 crore in pension to specially-abled beneficiaries via DBT and distributing assistive devices to youth.
Key Takeaways
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma hosted the Sapnon Ki Udaan event at the Chief Minister's residence in Jaipur on 31 October 2026 .
Para athletes Mona Agarwal , Srishti Arora , and Krishna Nagar were felicitated for their performances at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
Mehta , Padma Bhushan and Rajasthan Ratna awardee and founder of the Jaipur Foot initiative, was also honoured at the event.
Over ₹74 crore in Social Security Pension was transferred directly to specially-abled beneficiaries across Rajasthan via DBT .
Assistive devices were distributed to specially-abled youth, and participants from multiple districts joined via video conferencing .
The government pledged continued support through education, skill development, employment , and self-reliance programmes for specially-abled youth.
At the Chief Minister's residence in Jaipur on Saturday, 31 October 2026, Rajasthan's specially-abled youth got more than a government programme — they got a stage. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma hosted the 'Sapnon Ki Udaan – Asambhav Kuch Bhi Nahin' ('Flight of Dreams — Nothing Is Impossible') event, honouring para athletes who carried the state's flag at the Asian Para Games 2026 and disbursing over ₹74 crore in pension directly into the accounts of thousands of disabled beneficiaries.
Three athletes honoured, one legend recognised
The spotlight of the ceremony fell on para athletes Mona Agarwal, Srishti Arora, and Krishna Nagar, all of whom delivered outstanding performances at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, bringing distinction to both Rajasthan and India. CM Sharma personally felicitated each of them at the event, a public gesture designed to lift the visibility of para sports in the state.
Joining them in recognition was D. R. Mehta, recipient of the Padma Bhushan and the Rajasthan Ratna — the man behind the globally celebrated Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti and the iconic Jaipur Foot prosthetic initiative, which has restored mobility to millions of persons with disabilities worldwide. His presence at the event connected sporting ambition with decades of grassroots rehabilitation work.
₹74 crore reaches beneficiaries via direct transfer
Beyond the felicitations, the event carried concrete financial weight. More than ₹74 crore in pension was transferred directly to specially-abled beneficiaries across Rajasthan under the Social Security Pension Scheme, routed through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism to eliminate delays and leakages. Assistive devices — aids such as hearing equipment, wheelchairs, and mobility tools — were also distributed to young specially-abled participants at the venue.
The event connected beneficiaries from multiple districts simultaneously via video conferencing, allowing CM Sharma to interact with youth who could not travel to Jaipur — a logistical choice that widened reach well beyond the Chief Minister's residence.
A commitment framed in policy, not just ceremony
In his remarks, CM Sharma stated the government's resolve clearly: 'Our commitment is that every talent receives the right platform, every dream gets the opportunity to be realised, and every courage finds a new flight.' He tied this directly to a policy pledge — that his government would ensure access to education, skill development, employment, and self-reliance for every specially-abled young person in Rajasthan.
This pledge sits within the framework of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which expanded legal protections, reservations, and entitlements for disabled citizens across Indian states. Rajasthan has periodically conducted pension disbursements and assistive device drives under its social security architecture, but combining para-athlete felicitation, large-scale DBT transfers, and youth dialogue in a single high-profile event reflects a sharper intent to spotlight disability inclusion as a governance priority — not a footnote.
As Rajasthan's para athletes head into the national spotlight and ₹74 crore lands in the accounts of those who have waited longest, the real test of 'Sapnon Ki Udaan' will be whether the policy machinery behind the ceremony keeps flying after the cameras leave.
Point of View
Large-scale DBT transfers and youth dialogue into a single high-visibility event, CM Bhajan Lal Sharma is signalling that disability inclusion is a vote-worthy governance theme — not just a welfare sidebar. The choice to felicitate Asian Para Games athletes before national results are final is a calculated bet on visibility that mirrors how BJP-governed states have used sports diplomacy to build soft power domestically. The ₹74 crore direct transfer, routed through DBT, also serves a dual purpose: it reduces leakage complaints while generating a hard, auditable number that can be cited in campaign material. Whether the post-event policy machinery — skill programmes, employment pipelines — delivers at scale will determine if 'Sapnon Ki Udaan' becomes a genuine inclusion landmark or a well-lit photo opportunity.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Sapnon Ki Udaan' programme in Rajasthan?
'Sapnon Ki Udaan – Asambhav Kuch Bhi Nahin' is a Rajasthan government event hosted by CM Bhajan Lal Sharma to interact with specially-abled youth, honour achievers, distribute assistive devices, and disburse social security pension to disabled beneficiaries across the state.
Which para athletes were felicitated by CM Bhajan Lal Sharma on 31 October 2026?
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma felicitated Mona Agarwal , Srishti Arora , and Krishna Nagar for their outstanding performances at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
How much pension was transferred to disabled beneficiaries in Rajasthan at the event?
More than ₹74 crore was transferred directly to specially-abled beneficiaries under the Social Security Pension Scheme via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism.
Who is D. R. Mehta and why was he honoured?
D. R. Mehta is the founder of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti and the architect of the world-renowned Jaipur Foot prosthetic programme. He holds the Padma Bhushan and the Rajasthan Ratna and was recognised at the event for his lifelong contribution to disability rehabilitation.
What is the Asian Para Games 2026 and where is it being held?
The Asian Para Games 2026 is a major continental multi-sport event for para athletes from across Asia, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan . It serves as a key competitive platform for Indian para athletes, including those from Rajasthan.
