Lunglei District Receives National Award 2025 for Best District in Accessible India Campaign Implementation

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, today presented the National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2025 in New Delhi on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Lunglei District (Mizoram) was honoured with the National Award 2025 in the ‘Best District’ category for its outstanding work in the effective implementation of the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) and for its achievements in creating a barrier-free environment. The award was received by Smt. Navneet Mann, Deputy Commissioner, Lunglei, from the President of India.

Lunglei District Administration has emerged as a national model for accessibility and inclusion through its flagship initiative “Project LEAP” (Lunglei’s Empowerment for Access and Equity for All Persons), launched under the leadership of the Deputy Commissioner. The project represents a significant step towards building a barrier-free environment and developing an inclusive system for persons with disabilities. As part of the initiative, a comprehensive house-to-house disability survey was conducted between January and March 2025, identifying more than 1,400 beneficiaries.

Health assessment camps were organised at various locations, benefiting 1,091 persons with disabilities, with many receiving their Unique Disability Identity (UDID) Cards. Additionally, aids and assistive devices worth ₹52 lakh were distributed to 740 beneficiaries in a single day in June 2025, in collaboration with ALIMCO. Efforts such as access audits to improve accessibility in public buildings, the organisation of Purple Fair, and the establishment of accessible voting centres have further strengthened inclusion across the district.