Page 37 - NIS English 01-15 December, 2025

International Day of Persons with Disabilities | NATION

Divyangjan-centric initiatives to empower them
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under Life Made Easier
the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has launched 16 for Divyangjan
initiatives to empower persons with disabilities across India. One of these n Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme
is the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, which was launched on International provides health coverage up to ₹1
Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) in 2015. This nationwide lakh for Divyangjan for certain
initiative, launched with the aim of universal accessibility for Divyangjans, categories of disabilities.
has completed 10 years and has enhanced accessibility... n Financial Assistance Up to ₹50 Lakh
1. Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan 2. Sugamya Bharat Yatra 3. Pathways to Financial assistance for the treatment
Access 4. High-Power Spectacles 5. Divyasha E-Coffee Table Book 6. of 63 rare diseases at 14 designated
Kadam Knee Joint 7. The Awareness Generation and Publicity Scheme Centers of Excellence under the
8. Accessible Storybooks 9. In Standard Bharti Braille Code 10. Braille National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021.
Books Portal 11. MoU with Infosys BPM 12. Employability Skills Book
13. Infosys Springboard Skill Programme 14. Google Extension for
Persons with Hearing Impairment 15. E-Sanidhya Portal 16. Computer- 2.68
Based Indian Intelligence Test by NIEPID, Secunderabad
Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan has crore Divyangjan, represents
improved accessibility at every level 2.21% of the total population,
as per the 2011 Census.
153 international and domestic
airports now offer wheelchairs,
ramps, accessible toilets,
tactile paving, elevators, and Decisions and Actions
Empowering Divyangjan
dedicated parking facilities. n During the last 11 years, 31.16
42,000 buses are partially accessible lakh Divyanjan were provided with

Over and 8,695 are fully accessible. assistive devices and aids worth
over ₹2,415 crore.
709 ramps, toilets, 3,120 n The Department for
Empowerment of Persons with
elevators, help
railway stations desks, parking, bus terminals Disabilities organized a camp,
are now and drinking are Divyangjan- during which 10 Guinness World
equipped with water facilities. friendly. Records were created.
n Before 2014, only 7 lakh people were
Better education for provided with artificial limbs and
devices. Since 2014, more than 3.1
children with disabilities... Nearly 1.26 million persons with disabilities have
n NCERT textbooks for grades been provided with artificial limbs.
1 to 6 have been converted to crore Unique Disability
Indian Sign Language. Textbooks Identification cards have Rights of Persons with
for grades 1 to 3 have also been been issued. Disabilities Act, 2016
converted to ISL. n The number of recognized
n The Indian Sign Language disability categories was increased
Research and Training Centre, in from 7 to 21, so that more persons
collaboration with the National with disabilities could benefit.
Institute of Open Schooling, n The reservation in government
developed a curriculum for jobs was increased from 3% to 4%.
ISL as a language subject at the n The reservation in higher
secondary level. education institutions was
n An ISL dictionary of over 10,000 increased from 3% to 5%. n
words has been developed.

December 1-15, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 35