The central government said it has made more than 50,000 buses and over 1,800 public buildings easier to use for people with disabilities under the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan). This programme started in 2015 to improve access to public places, transport, and online services.
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B.L. Verma told the Rajya Sabha that ₹64.50 crore was given to states and Union territories to make 1,835 government buildings accessible.
The Railways said it has built ramps at 5,639 stations, created parking spaces for disabled people at 2,525 stations, set up accessible toilets at 4,829 stations, and provided wheelchairs at 5,854 stations. Many stations now have tactile paths, coach guidance systems, train information boards, and public address systems to help passengers with poor eyesight.
The Road Transport Ministry said that out of 1.45 lakh buses run by state transport departments in 24 states and Union territories, 51,041 are now accessible. This includes 25,216 intercity buses and 25,825 city buses. About 75% of bus stations have also been made easier to use for people with disabilities.
The Electronics and IT Ministry said 145 government websites have been made accessible, including 123 central government websites and four state government websites. Another 676 state and UT websites have also been improved, and over 3,000 websites have been moved to the S3WaaS platform, which supports accessible design.
The government is also giving assistive devices such as artificial limbs, hearing aids, smart canes, smartphones, and motorised tricycles to eligible persons with disabilities. School children with disabilities are also getting these devices under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
