Govt says over 50,000 buses, 1,800 buildings made accessible under Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma said ₹564.50 crore had been released to states and Union territories for retrofitting 1,835 government buildings to make them accessible.
'As accessibility is an ongoing and continuous process, the Department is actively pursuing with the concerned stakeholders for achieving universal accessibility,' he said.
The Ministry of Railways reported significant progress, including the installation of ramps at 5,639 stations, accessible parking at 2,525 stations and accessible toilets at 4,829 stations, he said.
Wheelchairs are now available at more than 5,854 stations. To assist visually impaired passengers, train stations have been equipped with tactile paths, Coach Guidance Systems , Train Indication Boards , and Public Address Systems , he added.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that 51,041 of the 1.45 lakh buses operated by 61 state transport undertakings across 24 states and Union territories have been made accessible.
Of these, 25,216 are intercity coaches and 25,825 are intracity buses. Additionally, 75 per cent of bus stations have undergone accessibility retrofitting.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that 145 websites, including 123 Central and four state government websites, have been certified accessible under the STQC as per Guidelines for Indian Government Websites guidelines.
A further 676 State and UT government websites have been made accessible, and over 3,000 websites have been onboarded to the S3WaaS platform.
The government is also distributing assistive devices under the 'Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances ' scheme.
These include artificial limbs, hearing aids, smart canes, smartphones and motorised tricycles for eligible persons with disabilities, including school-going children under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the minister said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
14 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India has set an example in lion conservation: Bhupender Yadav
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday (August 10, 2025) said the rise in the Asiatic lion population in Gujarat reflected India's intimate relationship with nature and wildlife. 'India has given a commitment to the world to work for nature's conservation through the rehabilitation of wildlife,' Mr. Yadav said at a World Lion Day function in Timbdi village under the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat. As per the census conducted in May this year, the estimated population of Asiatic lion has increased to 891 from 674 five years ago. 'The growth of India's lion population since 1889 (when the last Asiatic lions were seen) shows our intimate relationship with nature and wildlife,' Mr. Yadav said. He said the resolution made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year to boost Gujarat's lion population and develop the Barda Sanctuary as a new habitat had been fulfilled. Conservation efforts Mr. Yadav said climate change had brought challenges such as heavy rain and cyclones. To address these, Mr. Modi had initiated global efforts such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the International Solar Alliance. 'In addition, the International Big Cat Alliance has been established. Conservation work has been undertaken for five of the seven big cat species found in India. Asiatic lions are only found in India, and that too in Gir, and Gujarat gets 100% of the pride for their conservation,' he said. The Minister praised the unique bond between the pastoralist Maldhari community and lions as a model of coexistence. 'If one wants to see the example of wildlife conservation, they should visit Gir, observe the work of the State government, and witness the lifestyle of the Maldhari and other local communities,' he said. Mr. Yadav said the number of tiger reserves in India had risen to 58 from 47 during Mr. Modi's tenure, and they host 70% of the global tiger population. Snow leopard conservation efforts continue, with their population in India currently at 714. On cheetah reintroduction, he said, 'Bringing African cheetahs to India was a challenge, but we successfully rehabilitated them.' He also mentioned ongoing projects such as Project Lion, Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Project Dolphin, and Project Great Indian Bustard, which are reinforcing India's conservation leadership. Mr. Yadav said two more species of big cats — jaguar and puma — are found in Latin America, and quoted Mr. Modi's call for global cooperation in conserving all seven big cat species found across 97 countries, especially in Africa and Asia, through knowledge sharing, artificial intelligence, and technology. CM launches projects On the occasion, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched 11 eco-development projects worth ₹189 crore, including a new safari park, interpretation centre, and breeding centre at Barda. Expressing joy that after a gap of 143 years, lions had naturally begun re-inhabiting the Barda hills, he said Mr. Modi had announced all necessary support facilities for lion conservation in the area. 'Due to the PM's vision and the proactive work of the forest department, the successful conservation story of Gir's lions has gained global recognition. To ensure that the glory of our Vanraj (Lion King) remains intact and continues to grow, 'Project Lion' was launched, covering lion habitat and population management, wildlife health, human-animal conflict mitigation, cooperation with local communities, tourism development, scientific research and training, eco-development, and biodiversity conservation,' he said.
India.com
44 minutes ago
- India.com
Over 18 Union Ministers, 200 MPs Attend Mango Festival In Delhi; Farmer Recognition And Market Access In Focus
Farmers' recognition, greater market access and cold-storage facility issues took centre stage as political biggies united during the 18th Bharat Mango Festival in Delhi. In a rare display of bipartisan unity, leaders from both the ruling and opposition camps came together for the event. Organisers reported the presence of over 18 Union ministers, more than 200 Members of Parliament, and former President Ram Nath Kovind. The event, organised by Kanpur MP Ramesh Awasthi, was inaugurated by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. The festival traces its roots back 18 years to Awasthi's initiative to give mango growers a national platform and link them with research, storage, and markets. In Delhi, it has routinely been opened by senior dignitaries, underscoring its institutional profile. This year, former President Ram Nath Kovind also attended. Organisers said more than 350 mango varieties were exhibited, including Dasheri, Chausa, Alphonso, Banganpalli, Kesar, Safeda, Fazli, Neelam, and Mallika; the 'Modi Mango' was a consistent draw. A farmer honour programme recognised over 50 growers for contributions in production, innovation, and market linkages, and included addresses by ministers and MPs from across parties. Technical interactions paired cultivators with horticulture researchers and agricultural university teams on storage, cold-chain, grading, and export preparedness. A millet-focused community lunch accompanied the exhibition, aligning with the Prime Minister's Shree Anna push since the UN's International Year of Millets. The format mirrored earlier public millet outreach where MPs and farmers interact informally over millet menus. Ministers named in reports included BL Verma, Ramdas Athawale, Shripad Naik, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Bhagirath Choudhary, S P Singh Baghel, Virendra Kumar, Savitri Thakur, Prataprao Jadhav, Rajbhushan Chaudhary, Harsh Malhotra, Token Sahu, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Ramnath Thakur, Ajay Tamta, Durga Das, Nimuben Patel, and Anurag Thakur.
Hindustan Times
44 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Nitin Gadkari's 'dadagiri' jibe amid tariff tensions with US
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said that countries indulging in 'dadagiri' (bullying) in today's world are able to do so because they are economically strong and have technology, reported PTI. Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi. (ANI) Gadkari made the remarks while delivering a lecture at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) in Nagpur on Saturday during which he stressed the need to increase India's exports and reduce imports. "If the rate of our exports and economy increase, then I don't think we will need to go to anyone. Those who are indulging in `dadagiri' are doing so because they are economically strong, and they have technology. If we get better technology and resources, we will not bully anyone, because our culture teaches us that welfare of the world is most important," he said, according to PTI. Also Read | After Trump's 'dead economy' remark, Modi calls India fastest growing economy "We are facing various problems globally, and the solution to all these problems are science and technology, that is knowledge, which is a power," he added. Gadkari underlined that increasing exports and decreasing imports is necessary if India wants to become a 'vishwaguru'. Also Read | India plans tariff response to US over steel, aluminium levy The BJP leader's remarks come amid tensions between India and the United States over the trade tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump. Trump last week had announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on US imports from India -- raising the overall duty to 50 per cent -- as a penalty for the country's continued imports of Russian oil. Trump has railed against India and Russia over the past few days for the trade and energy relations between the two countries and pressured New Delhi to cut its Russian oil purchases. India has defended its energy purchases from Russia and criticised the US and the European Union for singling out New Delhi at a time when other countries buying Russian energy haven't faced penalties from the Trump administration. India also flagged that the United States continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers, as well as chemicals, from Russia.
