Under the Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 (SIPDA), the Ministry provides Grants-in-aids to all States/UTs to provide barrier free environment in important government buildings (State Secretariat, other important State level offices, Collectorates, State University Buildings/ Campuses, Medical Colleges and Main Hospitals at pisional Headquarters, other important Government buildings), for Persons with Disabilities as per Section 46 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation of Rights) Act, 1995 (PwD Act). This includes provision for ramps, rails, lifts, adaptation of toilets for wheelchair users, brail signage and auditory signals, tactile flooring, etc.
Section 44, 45 and 46 of PwD Act deals with non-discrimination in transport, non-discrimination on the road and non discrimination in the built environment, respectively. All the Establishments, appropriate Governments and the local authorities are mandated by these Sections of the PwD Act to take, within the limits of their economic capacity, certain measures for providing easy accessibility for persons with disabilities in a non-discriminatory manner. The Ministry as well as the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) from time to time request the State Govts./UT Administrations for providing barrier free access to public places to persons with disabilities which includes facilities for easy movement within the office.
The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) vide letter dated 24.01.2012 has written to all the Chief Secretaries of the States/UT Administrations among other things to take concrete and time bound steps to enforce accessibility standards and guidelines. Office of the CCPD also takes up with the concerned State Govts./authorities as and when non-availability of facilities for access to public places for persons with disabilities come to its notice. The Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities of the concerned States are also requested to follow up with their respective State Govts./UT Administrations. Action for non-compliance in the matter falls within the purview of the concerned State Govts/UT Administrations. In this regard, directions have been sent to all State Governments & Union Territories to implement the guidelines by the Central Government. This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Sudarshan Bhagat in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha here today.