About

• It was launched in 2015 by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) as a nation-wide Campaign for achieving universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). It aims at providing equal opportunity to PwDs to participate in all the aspects of life and live independently.
• The Accessible India Campaign comprises of the following three components:
  • Built Environment Accessibility: It aims to provide an accessible physical environment for everyone. To achieve this, measures need to be undertaken to eliminate obstacles and barriers to indoor and outdoor facilities including schools, medical facilities, and workplaces.
  • Transportation System Accessibility: It focuses on providing persons with disabilities an equal right to travel and use public and private transportation infrastructure with dignity and independence.
  • Information and Communication Eco-System Accessibility: Access to information refers to all information. This can range from actions such as being able to read price tags, to physically enter a hall, to participate in an event, to read a pamphlet with healthcare information, to understand a train timetable, or to view webpages.

Other important initiatives

• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the National Job Portal for Persons with Disabilities (www.disabilityjobs.gov.in) in 2015. Divyangjans can apply through the portal for jobs, skill training, scholarships, education loans and self-employment loans.
• The Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme for PwDs was launched with the objective of providing affordable health insurance to Persons with Disabilities.
• Another scheme of the DEPwD is the Unique Disability Identification Project started in 2016-17. The UDID card will be the single document of identification, verification of the Divyangjans for availing various benefits in future.
• Under the Assistance to Disabled persons for purchasing/fitting of aids/appliances (ADIP) scheme, funds are released to various implementing agencies to assist the needy persons with disabilities in procuring modern, standard aids and appliances.
• The Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS), executed by DePwD provides grant-in-aid to NGOs/voluntary organisations for projects aimed at rehabilitation of Divyangjans.

Why in News?

• The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment organized camps across the country wherein around 35000 divyangjan were provided with various types of aids and assistive devices.
• These camps were orgaised across the country aiming to build a vision to have an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided for the growth and development of  Divyangjan so that they can lead a productive safe and dignified lives in the Society.

Reference:

1. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1860176