Accessible India Campaign

The Government on December 3, 2015 launched “Accessible India Campaign”(Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), a nationwide campaign that will enable persons with disabilities to gain universal access, equal opportunity for development, independent living and participation in all aspects of life in an inclusive society.

Key Points

• Under the campaign, at least 50% of all the government buildings of National Capital and all the State capitals will be made fully accessible for persons with disabilities by July 2018.
• All the international airports in the country and railway stations of A1, A & B categories will be made fully accessible by July 2016.
• As per campaign drafted by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, at least 10% of government owned public transport carriers in the country will be converted into fully accessible carriers for these persons by March 2018.
• It will also be ensured that at least 50% of all public documents issued by the Central Government and the State Governments meet accessibility standards for persons with disabilities by March 2018.
• A multi-pronged strategy will be adopted for the campaign with key components as:
  1. Leadership endorsements of the campaign
  2. Mass awareness
  3. Capacity building through workshops
  4. Interventions (legal frame-work, technology solutions, resource generation, etc.
  5. Leverage corporate sector efforts in a Public-Private Partnership

Need for the New Scheme

• According to Census 2011, there are 2.68 crore Persons with Disabilities in India (who constitute 2.21 percent of the total population).
• Out of the total population of Persons with Disabilities, about 1.50 crore are male and 1.18 crore female.
• These include persons with visual, hearing, speech and loco-motor disabilities; mental illness, mental retardation, multiple disabilities and other disabilities.
• For Persons with Disability (PWDs), universal accessibility is critical for enabling them to gain access for equal opportunity and live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life in an inclusive society.
• Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 under sections 44,45 and 46 categorically provides for non-discrimination in transport, non-discrimination on the road and non-discrimination in built environment respectively.
  • As per Section 46 of the PwD Act, the States are required to provide for:
  • Ramps in public buildings
  • Adaptation of toilets for wheel chair users
  • Braille symbols and auditory signals in elevators or lifts
  • Ramps in hospitals, primary health centres and other medical care and rehabilitation institutions
• Section 44 and 45 of the said Act cast responsibility on the States to take measures to make public transport accessible for PwDs and also make provision for auditory signals at red lights in public roads, curb cuts and slops in pavements, engraving on the surface at zebra crossings etc.
• United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCPRD), to which India is a signatory, under Article 9 casts obligations on the Governments for ensuring to PwDs accessibility to (a) Information, (b) Transportattion), (c.) Physical Environment), (d.) Communication Technology and (e) Accessibility to Services as well as emergency services.

With the successful launch of the Accessible India Campaign, India will join the rest of the world, as an inclusive society with universal accessibility, caring for its citizens, accessibility rights and independent living. Physical accessibility related actions will initiate accessibility to education, employment and livelihood, which will unleash productivity of 6% population and their economic contribution in nation building.

Sugamya Pustakalaya

SugamyaPustakalaya was launched in August 2016. “SugamayaPustakalaya” is an online platform that makes accessible content available to print-disabled people. The library houses publications across diverse subjects and languages and multiple accessible formats. It has been created by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with member organizations of Daisy Forum of India and powered by TCS Access. Books are available in Accessible formats for people with visual impairment and other print disabilities. Over 2 lakhs books in diverse languages. Integrating libraries across India and the Globe, including the largest international library, ‘Bookshare’.