DEPwD Advocates for Cross-Government Accessibility Coordination
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) has called for a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to advancing accessibility across India. Ms. Manmeet Kaur Nanda, IAS, Additional Secretary of DEPwD, emphasized that accessibility cannot be an afterthought and requires concerted effort across all ministries, departments, and levels of government in partnership with civil society. She stressed that accessibility cuts across multiple sectors including education, healthcare, employment, transport, financial services, and public infrastructure, with progress in one sector dependent on coordinated action across others.
Sugamya Bharat Consultation and Progress Assessment
The consultation "Sugamyata Ka Sankalp" was organized by DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in partnership with The Association of People with Disability (APD), India, and in collaboration with Ipsos. The event brought together representatives from government, the disability sector, academia, research, and civil society to assess the progress of the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, identify persistent accessibility gaps, and deliberate on priorities for its next phase. Shri Girish C. Hosur, Joint Secretary, DEPwD, presented the journey and achievements of the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, highlighting the Department's role in leading the initiative and advancing accessibility across public infrastructure, transport, and digital services.
Stakeholder Participation and Implementation Focus
The consultation featured participants from multiple government ministries including Ministry of Education, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Prasar Bharati, and the Airports Authority of India. State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities and representatives from the State Governments of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha participated both in person and online. The event included two moderated roundtable discussions led by Ms. Tripti Sharma, Director, Ipsos, examining sectoral challenges in accessibility implementation and approaches to measuring accessibility across sectors.
Legal Context and Future Direction
The consultation was held against the backdrop of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and provided an opportunity to reflect on achievements since the launch of Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan in 2015. The initiative represents a significant national effort to advance accessibility in the built environment, transport systems, and information and communication technologies. The consultation reinforced the shared responsibility of governments, institutions, civil society, and the disability sector in building an accessible and inclusive India, with emphasis on making accessibility an integral, measurable, and coordinated priority across every sector.