Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan:

Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan:

Introduction: On the occasion of the 9th anniversary of the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign), Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the campaign's significant strides toward creating a more inclusive and accessible environment for persons with disabilities. The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, launched in 2015, marked a turning point in India's efforts to improve accessibility and inclusion, addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, transportation, digital platforms, and education.

Need for Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan

India, a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), has committed to providing equal opportunities for persons with disabilities. However, before 2015, India's efforts lacked a cohesive strategy and enforceable timelines.

While the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 focused on welfare, it did not adequately address the challenges related to accessibility or empower persons with disabilities in the way that was needed. In response, the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan was launched, with the goal of making public buildings, transport systems, and digital platforms accessible to all citizens, regardless of their physical abilities.

About Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan

The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan is a nationwide initiative aimed at ensuring universal accessibility for persons with disabilities. It was launched by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The campaign's primary objective is to create an accessible environment in public spaces, transport, and digital interfaces, thereby enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life.

Core Areas of Focus:

1. Physical Environment: Making government buildings, public spaces, and transport infrastructure accessible.

2. Transportation System: Ensuring that airports, railways, buses, and stations are accessible to persons with disabilities.

3. Information & Communication Ecosystem: Enhancing digital accessibility by making websites and other platforms usable for individuals with disabilities.

The campaign is also integrated into the Creation of Barrier-Free Environment Scheme under the Scheme for Implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA), ensuring continued progress toward accessibility.

Key Achievements of Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan

1. Accessible Infrastructure:

   • Audits: 1,671 government buildings audited for accessibility.

   • Retrofitting: Accessibility features have been incorporated into 1,748 government buildings.

   • Funding: ₹562 crore has been allocated for retrofitting 1,314 buildings.

   • Airports: 35 international and 55 domestic airports have been made fully accessible.

   • Railway Stations: 709 stations are fully accessible, and 4,068 are partially accessible.

   • Buses: 8,695 buses (5.96%) are fully accessible, and 42,348 (29.05%) are partially accessible.

   • Bus Stations: 3,120 out of 3,533 bus stations are equipped with accessibility features.

2. Digital Accessibility:

   • Websites: 95 Central Government and 676 State Government websites have been made accessible.

   • Media Accessibility: Accessibility Standards for TV viewing have been published for persons with hearing impairments.

3. Education & Language Accessibility:

   • The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre has been established.

   • Over 1,000 individuals have been trained in Indian Sign Language.

   • 183 students completed the Diploma in Indian Sign Language Interpretation (DISLI).

4. Other Ongoing Efforts:

   • Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS): Provides financial assistance to NGOs for disability rehabilitation.

   • District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC): Focuses on early identification, assistive devices, loans, and awareness for persons with disabilities.

   • Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP): A scheme to provide grants to help persons with disabilities obtain essential aids and appliances.

   • Divya Kala Mela: A national-level fair celebrating the contributions of artisans with disabilities.

Financial Commitment

The financial commitment to the cause of disability empowerment has been significantly increasing:

• Budget Allocation: The financial allocations for disability-related schemes increased from ₹560 crore in 2013-14 to ₹1,225.15 crore in 2023-24.

• Expenditure: ₹1,143.89 crore was spent in 2023-24, the highest in a decade.

Future Outlook

The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan has made substantial progress in creating a more accessible and inclusive society. Through sustained efforts and innovative solutions, the mission continues to break barriers, ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal opportunities in all sectors of life.

The future of this campaign involves:

• Expanding and refining infrastructure accessibility.

• Strengthening the digital and transportation accessibility efforts.

• Promoting awareness, skill development, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities through programs like PM-DAKSH and SIPDA.

With these ongoing initiatives, the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan lays the foundation for a more equitable society, promoting the empowerment and inclusion of every individual, regardless of their abilities.

Conclusion

The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan is a critical step toward achieving a barrier-free India for persons with disabilities. It has made remarkable progress in the last nine years, contributing significantly to building an inclusive society. Through the continued commitment of government agencies, NGOs, and the public, India is on its way to creating a truly accessible environment for all citizens, helping to fulfill the vision of an empowered, barrier-free society.