ACCESSIBLE INDIA CAMPAIGN

ACCESSIBLE INDIA CAMPAIGN

TOPIC: Governance

Context- Almost half the government buildings in States and Union Territories identified during access audits in 2016-17 have been made accessible to people with disabilities, while only around 8% of public buses have become fully accessible under the Accessible India campaign ending in June, according to government data.

Concept-

Accessible India Campaign:

• It was launched by the Prime Minister of India on International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December 2015.
• The Campaign was launched in 2015 with the goal of making selected government buildings, transportation and websites accessible for persons with disabilities by March 2018.
• The deadline was then extended to March 2020 and then again to June 2022.
• Three Components of AIC
  • Built Environment Accessibility
  • Transportation System Accessibility
  • Information and Communication Eco-System Accessibility

Background:

• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 replaced the PwD Act, 1995.
• Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 provided for non-discrimination in transport and in the built environment.
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is a signatory, under Article 9 casts obligations on the Governments for ensuring to PwDs accessibility to:
  1. Information,
  2. Transportation,
  3. Physical Environment,
  4. Communication Technology and
  5. Accessibility to Services as well as emergency services.