Lok Sabha Question No. 5315 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-05
Subject: Accessible India Campaign
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Sumalatha Ambareesh, Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mohammad Jawed, Adoor Prakash, Kumbakudi Sudhakaran, Balubhau (Alias Suresh Narayan) Dhanorkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5315 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2022

## ACCESSIBLE INDIA CAMPAIGN

## 5315.  SHRIMATI SUMALATHA AMBAREESH:

DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:

SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH

SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN:

NARAYAN DHANORKAR:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken the Accessible India Campaign (AIC) in the country;
- (b) if so, the objectives and status of the campaign;
- (c)  whether the  Government has any proposal to provide financial support  to  make the campaign successful;
- (d) if so, the total funds granted by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) the status of the AIC and whether any portion of the budget has been allocated to it and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SUSHRI PRATIMA BHOUMIK)

(a)  and  (b):  Yes  Sir. Accessible  India  Campaign  (AIC),  launched  on 03.12.2015  as a  nation-wide flagship  campaign  for  achieving  universal  accessibility,  focuses  on  enhancing  the  accessibility  of Built-Up  Environment,  Transportation  System  and  Information  and  Communication  Technology (ICT) ecosystem to make the life of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) more convenient. The details of objectives and status of the campaign is at Annexure-I .

(c), (d) and (e): Yes sir. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) provides financial support to make the campaign successful.

Under Accessible India Campaign (AIC), the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) has released an amount of Rs.577.11 crore so far during the financial years 2016-17  to  2021-22.  The  status  of  the  campaign  is  at Annexure-I. No  separate  budget  has  been allocated to Accessible India Campaign, since Accessible India Campaign is a sub-scheme under the Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA), the funds are released under this scheme.

Annexure referred to in part (a), (b), (c),  (d) and (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.   5315  raised  by  Shrimati  Sumalatha  Ambareesh,  Shri  Nalin  Kumar  Kateel,  Dr. Mohammad  Jawed,    Adv.  Adoor    Prakash,  Shri  Kumbakudi  Sudhakaran,    Shri  Balubhau Alias  Suresh  Narayan  Dhanorkar  for  answer  on  05.04.2022  regarding  ' Accessible  India Campaign'

Details of targets and the progress thereof under the Accessible India Campaign

|   Sl No | Target                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Target of enhancing the proportion of Accessible Government Buildings: Target 1.1 : Completing accessibility audit of at least 25- 50 most important government buildings in 50 cities and making them fully accessible by June, 2022; Target 1.2 : Making 50% of all the government buildings of the National Capital and all the State Capitals fully accessible by June, 2022; Target 1.3 : Completing accessibility audit of 50% of government buildings and making them fully accessible in 10 most important cities/towns of states not covered in targets 1.1 and 1.2 by June, 2022 | For Target (1.1) - State Government buildings In the State Governments / UTs, auditors completed Access Audit of 1671 buildings in 48 cities. 1671 access audit reports have been submitted to the State's/Uts Nodal Officers. Further, 20 States/Uts reported to have completed retrofitting work in 577 buildings. For Target 1.2 and 1.3 7 States/Uts have informed that 2839 State Government buildings have been selected to be made accessible under Targets/Phases (1.2) and (1.3) from their own funds. For Central Government building under the targets of built up environment:  The financial proposals for retrofitting of 1484 buildings have been received so far. Sanction has been issued by the Department in respect 1314 buildings amounting to Rs. 553.59 Crore as on 31.03.2022.  In the Central Government, CPWD reported completion of retrofitting in 1030 out of selected 1100 Central Government buildings targeted under Accessible India Campaign in FY 2020- 21. |
|       2 | Target of enhancing the proportion of Accessible Transport System [Airports, Railway Stations and Public Transport Carriers (Buses)]. Target 2.1 and 2.2 - Airports: All international airports and domestic airports to be made fully accessible.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |  All 35 international airports & 55 out of 69 domestic airports provided with accessibility features (ramps, accessible toilets, helpdesks and lifts with Braille and auditory information systems), Further, all international/customs airport are reported to have been provided with aerobridges.  Tactile path has been provided at majority of the airports whereas 41 airports have been equipped with aerobridges and ambulifts are available                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |

|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | at 12 airports and the same is being procured for other airports.  Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has also issued an advisory to make seamless screening of Divyangjan at airports. In this regard, CISF has also revised their SoPs, stressing upon the need to improve soft skills to provide better journey experience.  The accessibility standards have been formulated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The process of conducting public consultation is underway.                                                                            |
|----|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  3 | Target 3.1 and 3.2 - Railways: A1, A & B categories of railway stations to be made fully accessible; 50% of all railway stations to be made fully accessible;                                                                                                                                                       |  All 709 A1, A & B category railway stations have been provided with the seven (07) Short-Term Facilities identified by Ministry of Railways, namely, ramps, two parking lots for Divyangjan, non-slippery walkways from parking to station building, signage, at least one drinking water tap, one accessible toilet and 'May I Help You' booth.  603 railway stations have been provided with additional two (02) Long-Term Facilities namely, Provision of facility of inter platform transfer & Engraving on edges (tactile indicators) of platform. |
|  4 | Target 4.1 - Buses: 25% of Government owned public transport carriers are to be made fully accessible.                                                                                                                                                                                                              |  MoRTH reported that in FY 2020- 21, out of 1,47,152 buses, 44153 (30.01%) buses are partially accessible and 8443 (8.73%) buses are fully accessible.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|  5 | Target of enhancing the portion of accessible government websites; pool of sign language interpreters; captioning and sign language interpretation of public television news programmes . Target 5.1 and 5.2 - Websites: At least 50% of Central and State Government websites are to meet accessibility standards: |  Department has sanctioned Rs.26.19 Cr. To ERNET India to make 917 States/Uts websites accessible, out of which, Rs.23.52 Cr. Has been disbursed. Total 603 State Governments websites have been made accessible including 459 websites made live.  95 websites of Central Government Ministries/Departments are made accessible by MeitY under the Content Management Framework.                                                                                                                                                                        |
|  6 | Target 6.1 - Sign Language Interpreters Training and Developing 200 additional sign                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |  The Government has established Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, in                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |

|    | language interpreters:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | the Centre is to develop manpower for using, teaching and conducting research in Indian Sign Language.  ISLRTC has informed that more than 1000 persons have been trained in Indian sign language through Diploma and Short Term Courses of ISLRTC.  Total 93 students have completed Diploma in Indian Sign Language Interpretation (DISLI) course in three academic sessions during 2016-17 to 2018-19. ISLRTC is currently running one batch of DISLI for the academic year 2019-21.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|----|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  7 | Target 7.1 and 7.2 - T.V Viewing: (a) Public television news - National standards on captioning and sign language interpretation are to be created and adopted; (b)At least 25% of public television programs on government channels are to comply with the set standards |  Accessibility standards for accessible TV viewing by persons with hearing impairment have already been issued by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) for providing for sub-titling, sign language interpretation along with accessibility for televisions sets, remote controls, equipment and internet content. Further, MoIB has to formulate similar guidelines for other disabilities including visual impairment.  Accessible content on TV is also being enhanced in a phased manner and so far 19 private news channels are telecasting partially accessible news bulletin, 2447 news bulletins have been telecast with subtitling/sign-language interpretation and more than 3686 scheduled programs/movies using subtitling have been telecast by general entertainment channels. |

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