The Uttar Pradesh government has announced an ambitious target to achieve complete digital literacy for all differently abled women across the state by 2026. This groundbreaking initiative forms a crucial part of the state's comprehensive campaign to empower women with disabilities and transform Uttar Pradesh into a truly disabled-friendly state.
Building on a Foundation of Inclusion
The state's commitment to disability inclusion isn't new. Back in 2017, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath significantly enhanced opportunities for disabled persons by increasing reservation in government jobs from 3% to 4%. This progressive policy shift has since opened up more than 300,000 employment opportunities for the disabled community across Uttar Pradesh.
Currently, the educational landscape for differently abled persons includes 1,403 special schools operating throughout the state. Notably, these institutions have achieved an impressive 50% enrolment rate for girls, indicating strong participation from female students. These specialized schools are going beyond traditional education by providing comprehensive training in essential digital skills, including computer operation, mobile application usage, and online learning platforms.
Digital Transformation in Action
The digital literacy mission is already showing promising results across the state. In one inspiring example from Chitrakoot, differently abled girls are actively pursuing IT courses through various e-learning platforms, demonstrating the practical implementation of this digital initiative.
Under the central government's Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign), Uttar Pradesh has made remarkable progress in physical infrastructure accessibility. The state government has successfully made 271 out of 278 government buildings fully disabled-friendly by installing essential facilities including ramps, wheelchair access points, and voice-assisted navigation systems.
Technology for Empowerment
The technological transformation extends beyond physical infrastructure. A government spokesperson revealed that the state's information technology department has comprehensively redesigned 44 government websites to comply with the WCAG-2.1 standard, making digital government services accessible to visually impaired citizens.
One particularly impactful innovation is the voice command-supported disabled pension portal, which enables rural women with disabilities to easily access and receive their entitled pension benefits without facing technological barriers.
The spokesperson further highlighted successful implementation examples, noting that over 200 women are currently learning e-commerce operations and freelancing skills at a digital training center in Lucknow, preparing them for economically independent futures in the digital economy.
