Facts Box: Accessible India Campaign

Recently GoI extended the deadline for Accessible India Campaign to March 2020. The main objective of the campaign is to make public spaces friendly for persons with disabilities.

About the campaign

The campaign is also called Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan. The scheme was launched by Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The initiative is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to which India signed in 2007. The scheme was also launched under Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. Under the act, the scheme comes under the jurisdiction of sections 44, 45 and 46 that provides equal opportunities and protection of rights in transport sector to those who are physically challenged.

Targets of the campaign

The campaign aims at making at least 50% of government owned buildings as disabled-friendly. It was aimed at doing in three phases. In phase 1, the campaign focused on making international airports disabled-friendly by 2016. In phase 2, it aimed at making 25% of public transport vehicles disabled-friendly by 2017. In phase 3, it aimed at making 50% of government buildings disabled-friendly.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2019