Sugamya Yatra survey to audit ‘disabled-friendly' infrastructure
Zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer Mona Roht flagged off Sugamya Yatra awareness rally in Chamarajanagar on Thursday. The initiative aims to assess and improve infrastructure in government offices, urban local bodies, and public spaces to make them accessible to persons with disabilities (PwDs).
The rally, launched in front of the district administration building, was held under the slogan 'Every step of the accessible journey leads toward equality.'
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Roht highlighted the government's commitment to upholding and implementing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which mandates the protection of rights and the inclusion of disabled individuals in the mainstream.
It is our collective responsibility to provide essential facilities and create barrier-free environments in all public and government spaces, she stated.
District welfare officer for the differently abled, Meenakshi, explained that the ongoing survey is intended to collect data from rural and urban rehabilitation workers on the accessibility of government buildings and public areas.
To support this initiative, the government has partnered with the Association of People with Disability (APD), Bengaluru. APD will provide specialised training to Village Rehabilitation Workers and Multi-purpose Rehabilitation Workers in collecting data. As part of the effort, the APD has also developed the S2A (Steps to Access) mobile application, which will be used in the data collection process.
Also, a training session was conducted at the taluk panchayat, equipping rehabilitation workers with the skills and tools to carry out the survey for creating a more accessible and inclusive society.
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