Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment addresses Lok Sabha questions regarding the Sugamya Bharat App (SBA), a crowd-sourcing initiative to report accessibility barriers for Divyangjan and elderly citizens. The app allows users to report issues related to built environments, transportation, and ICT. Grievance redressal is managed through a multi-level SOP involving central and state authorities, with ongoing efforts to enhance public awareness and app functionality, including language support. Data as of August 14, 2025, indicates 1095 complaints received, with 528 pending and 567 resolved across all states.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Sugamya Bharat App (SBA) Overview:**
* A crowd-sourcing mobile app for reporting accessibility barriers in built environments, transportation, and ICT.
* Available on iOS and Android, and via website (https:sugamyabharat.gov.in).
* Underwent revamping in 2024 to enhance functionality and user experience.
* **Key Features of Revamped App:**
* Improved accessibility interfaces.
* Streamlined complaint registration.
* AI-powered chatbot for real-time assistance.
* Enhanced categorization of content.
* Improved access to government schemes, policies, and helplines.
* **Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Grievance Redressal:**
* **Step 1:** Grievance Registration - Users report accessibility barriers with detailed descriptions.
* **Step 2:** Central Receipt and Initial Processing - DEPwD assesses jurisdiction (Central or State).
* **Step 3:** Bifurcated Allocation System - Central matters go to CCPD/DEPwD nodal officers; State matters go to State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities (SCPDs).
* **Step 4:** State-Level Coordination and District Allocation - SCPDs coordinate with District Collectors/Magistrates.
* **Step 5:** Resolution Implementation - Responsible authorities resolve issues and update status on the app.
* **Public Awareness Measures:**
* Utilizing social media platforms (X, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram) to reach diverse populations.
* Press Information Bureau (PIB) used for official updates and mainstream media coverage.
* **App Functionality Enhancements:**
* Supports 23 languages.
* Complaints routed through DEPwD's PMU to central agencies or State Commissioners, involving local government for resolution.
Impact Analysis:
* **Divyangjan and Elderly Citizens:**
* Impact: Benefit from improved accessibility and grievance redressal through the app.
* Action Required: Utilize the app to report accessibility barriers and provide feedback for further improvements.
* **Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD):**
* Impact: Responsible for the overall management, monitoring, and improvement of the Sugamya Bharat App.
* Action Required: Continuously refine the SOP based on feedback and technological advancements, allocate and monitor grievances, and promote app awareness.
* **State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities (SCPDs):**
* Impact: Responsible for coordinating with district authorities to resolve accessibility issues within their respective states.
* Action Required: Coordinate with District Collectors/Magistrates to implement necessary accessibility improvements, ensure compliance with standards, and update complaint statuses on the app.
* **District Collectors/Magistrates:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing accessibility improvements and resolving reported barriers at the local level.
* Action Required: Coordinate with local departments and authorities to address reported accessibility barriers and ensure compliance with accessibility standards.
Key Entities Referenced
Sugamya Bharat App: A crowd sourcing mobile application to report accessibility barriers across India for Divyangjan and elderly citizens.
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: The department under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment responsible for initiatives like the Sugamya Bharat App.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment: The ministry overseeing the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and related initiatives.
Himachal Pradesh: A state in India specifically mentioned in the context of the Sugamya Bharat App's accessibility initiatives and complaint handling.
Maharashtra: A state in India specifically mentioned in the context of the Sugamya Bharat App's accessibility initiatives and complaint handling.
Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities: An entity involved in the grievance redressal process for complaints related to accessibility barriers.
State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities: State-level authorities responsible for coordinating with District Collectors to resolve accessibility-related grievances reported through the Sugamya Bharat App.
District Collector: Local administrative authority responsible for implementing accessibility improvements and addressing reported barriers at the district level.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
(DIVYANGJAN)
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 4287
TO BE ANSWERED ON- 19/08/2025
SUGAMYA BHARAT APP TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY FOR DIVYANGJAN AND
ELDERLY CITIZENS
4287. Smt. Smita Uday Wagh:
Shri Anurag Sharma:
Shri Khagen Murmu:
Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap:
Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the digital initiatives and Sugamya Bharat App launched by the Government to
enhance accessibility support for Divyangjan and elderly citizens, State-wise including Himachal
Pradesh;
(b) the number of complaints related to accessibility barriers received through the said app since
its launch in 2021, State-wise breakup, especially for Maharashtra and Jalgaon Lok Sabha
constituency and Himachal Pradesh;
(c) the Standard Operating Procedure adopted to ensure time-bound and effective redressal of
grievances received through the said app, State-wise including Himachal Pradesh;
(d) the measures implemented to increase public awareness and participation in reporting
accessibility barriers through the said app, especially among rural and semi-urban populations
and to encourage active usage of App; and
(e) whether there is any proposal to enhance app functionality through regional language support
and integration with local Government or departments for faster resolution, if so, the details
thereof?ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI B. L. VERMA)
(a) to (c) Sugamya Bharat App (SBA), is a crowd sourcing mobile application which serves as
an online platform across India, including the State of Himachal Pradesh for citizens to
report accessibility barriers across three critical verticals: Built Environment encompassing
public buildings and infrastructure, Transportation Systems including buses, trains and airports,
and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem covering websites and digital
services. It is an initiative of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
(DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. It is available on both iOS and android
platforms and can also be downloaded from the website: https://sugamyabharat.gov.in/.
The Sugamya Bharat App underwent comprehensive revamping in the year 2024 to significantly
enhance its functionality and user experience. The upgraded version features improved
accessibility interfaces to better serve Divyangjans, streamlined complaint registration processes
for more efficient grievance reporting and the integration of an AI-powered chatbot that provides
real-time assistance and automated support to users. Additionally, the revamped app incorporates
enhanced categorization systems for better organization of content and improved access to
government schemes, policy circulars and dedicated helpline services, thereby creating a more
comprehensive and user-friendly platform for addressing accessibility barriers and empowering
persons with disabilities across the nation.
It is noteworthy that for appropriate and effective grievance redressal, the Standard Operating
Procedure for grievance redressal on SBA keeps evolving based on field experiences and
feedback from stakeholders, technological advancements, resolution bottlenecks etc. As per the
current framework of the Sugamya Bharat App, the SOP broadly includes the following steps:
i. Step 1: Grievance Registration
The user registers their grievance on the Sugamya Bharat App by uploading detailed
complaint descriptions, and specifying the nature of accessibility barrier encountered in
built environment, transportation systems, or ICT platforms.
ii. Step 2: Central Receipt and Initial Processing
All grievances are received centrally in the Program Management Unit (PMU) account of
the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).
Initial assessment is conducted to determine the appropriate jurisdiction and governmental
level responsible for addressing the specific accessibility barrier, classifying complaintsinto either Central Government matters or State Government matters based on the nature
and ownership of the reported facility or service.
iii. Step 3: Bifurcated Allocation System
For Central Government matters, grievances are allocated centrally within the DEPwD
framework to either the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) or the
concerned DEPwD Nodal officers’ accounts as per the relevance and specific nature of the
complaint. For State Government matters, grievances are forwarded to the respective State
Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD) of the concerned State/UT for further
action and coordination.
iv. Step 4: State-Level Coordination and District Allocation
The SCPD receives the complaint from the central PMU and takes up the matter with the
concerned District Collector or District Magistrate of the specific district where the
accessibility barrier has been reported, ensuring that local administrative authorities with
direct jurisdiction are engaged for resolution.
v. Step 5: Resolution Implementation
The appropriate Central Government level (SCPD) or the DEPwD nodal officers identify
and resolve the grievance, update the status on the SBA as resolved under intimation to the
user. For State Level matters, District Collectors or District Magistrates coordinate with
relevant local departments, municipal authorities or facility managers to implement
necessary accessibility improvements, repairs, or modifications to address the reported
barrier and ensure compliance with accessibility standards and update the status of the
complaint on the app under intimation to the user.
The Sugamya Bharat App currently provides functionality for displaying breakdown of the
complaints allocated to the concerned State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities
(SCPDs) and their concerned States/UTs; however, constituency-wise disaggregation of
complaint data is not available at the central level through the application interface. The details
of the complaints allocated State/UT-wise to the concerned SCPDs is available at Annexure ‘A’.
(d) To increase public awareness of the Department's various initiatives including the Sugamya
Bharat App, DEPwD employs various Departmental social media platforms including X
(formerly Twitter), Facebook, WhatsApp channel, YouTube, Instagram etc to reach diverse
populations, also targeting rural and semi-urban communities. The Department also utilizes Press
Information Bureau (PIB) from time to time for official updates on the Sugamya Bharat App,
ensuring broader mainstream media coverage.(e) The Sugamya Bharat App offers support in 23 languages for providing suitable language
support and facilitation of grievance redressal. Under the existing SOP, as detailed above, all
complaints are received centrally by DEPwD’s PMU and routed either to central agencies
(CCPD/DEPwD nodal units) or to State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities, who
coordinate with District Collectors thereby involving local Government for swift resolution.
*****Annexure ‘A’
SCPD/State-UT specific details of SBA grievances as on 14.08.2025
State Total Received Total Pending Total Disposed
TOTAL (All States) 1095 528 567
Andhra Pradesh 19 4 15
Assam 8 8 0
Bihar 31 30 1
Chandigarh 40 40 0
Chhattisgarh 8 1 7
Delhi 134 134 0
Goa 2 2 0
Gujarat 375 9 366
Himachal Pradesh 6 6 0
Jammu And
Kashmir 30 27 3
Jharkhand 6 6 0Karnataka 47 7 40
Kerala 25 25 0
Madhya Pradesh 35 10 25
Maharashtra 86 52 34
Manipur 1 1 0
Odisha 15 1 14
Puducherry 3 3 0
Punjab 10 10 0
Rajasthan 30 30 0
Tamil Nadu 24 24 0
Telangana 15 14 1
Uttar Pradesh 105 61 44
Uttarakhand 11 11 0
West Bengal 29 12 17
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