Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has distributed prosthetic limbs and a range of assistive devices to persons with disabilities in Raipur district under the state’s Project Sahara – Divyangjan Equipment Distribution Programme 2026.
The distribution included prosthetic arms and legs, motorised tricycles, wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, walking sticks, walkers and knee braces, according to an ANI report published by Big News Network.
The programme brings prosthetic and orthotic devices into a wider package of mobility and assistive technology support, reflecting a growing emphasis in India on improving access to devices that can support independence, participation and mobility for persons with disabilities.
Prosthetic limbs included in wider assistive technology programme
Speaking at the distribution event in Raipur, Sai said the devices were intended to make daily life easier for beneficiaries while improving confidence and independence.
The inclusion of both upper- and lower-limb prostheses alongside wheelchairs, orthotic knee braces and walking aids is notable from a prosthetics and orthotics perspective.
People requiring prosthetic or orthotic intervention often have very different clinical needs from those receiving standard mobility aids. A prosthesis must be individually selected, fitted and aligned, with socket comfort, residual-limb condition, component choice and functional ability all affecting the outcome.
For this reason, the long-term effectiveness of programmes such as Project Sahara depends not only on the number of devices distributed but also on access to trained prosthetists, orthotists, physiotherapists and follow-up services.
Distribution linked to dignity and self-reliance
Sai described the programme as being about more than equipment distribution, saying its objective was to support self-reliance, dignity and confidence among persons with disabilities.
That distinction is important.
Assistive technology can have a direct impact on whether a person can travel independently, attend education, return to employment or participate in family and community life.
For an amputee, an appropriately prescribed prosthesis can improve mobility and independence, but outcomes are strongest when provision includes rehabilitation, gait training, maintenance and future replacement.
Similarly, orthotic devices such as knee braces require appropriate clinical selection if they are to provide meaningful functional support rather than simply being supplied as standard equipment.
India expands national assistive technology focus
The Chhattisgarh initiative comes as assistive technology is receiving greater attention nationally.
India’s Union Budget 2026–27 introduced the Divyang Sahara Yojana, under which the government plans to strengthen the role of the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) in assistive-device production, research and distribution.
The national programme is intended to expand access to products including mobility aids, hearing and low-vision devices, e-Braille technology and other assistive solutions, while supporting greater domestic manufacturing and technology development.
ALIMCO already plays a major role in government-supported assistive-device distribution through camps and rehabilitation programmes across India.
The 2026–27 Budget also proposes strengthening Pradhan Mantri Divyasha Vayoshri Kendras, with ALIMCO currently operating 100 such centres nationally. These centres are intended to give beneficiaries greater opportunity to see, try and obtain appropriate assistive products with professional guidance.
Last-mile access remains critical
Programmes such as Project Sahara are particularly important at state and district level because availability remains one of the central barriers to assistive technology provision in India.
A device may be technically available nationally but remain inaccessible to a person living far from a rehabilitation centre or without the financial resources required for assessment, travel and follow-up.
District-level distribution can help close that gap.
However, prosthetic provision requires a different approach from simply handing over a manufactured product.
Lower-limb amputees, for example, require an appropriate socket, suspension system, prosthetic foot and alignment matched to their mobility level. Upper-limb users may require different terminal devices depending on occupation and functional requirements.
Follow-up is equally important because residual-limb volume can change, sockets can become uncomfortable and components can require repair or replacement.
As Indian states expand assistive-device programmes, stronger integration between distribution events and established rehabilitation services could therefore improve long-term outcomes.
Growing role for state-level rehabilitation programmes
Chhattisgarh has also been expanding wider welfare delivery to rural and underserved communities.
The state launched the Sugghar Chhattisgarh campaign in June 2026 across 23 districts, with the objective of improving direct access to government welfare programmes through local surveys and saturation camps.
Project Sahara fits within this broader move toward bringing services closer to beneficiaries.
For the Indian P&O sector, this creates an opportunity to strengthen links between government programmes, rehabilitation centres, manufacturers and qualified clinicians.
As more assistive devices are distributed, the emphasis will increasingly need to move from measuring success simply by the number of products delivered toward measuring whether beneficiaries are able to use those products successfully over time.
For prosthetic and orthotic users in particular, assessment, fitting, training, maintenance and long-term follow-up remain as important as the device itself.
Project Sahara’s latest distribution in Raipur demonstrates that prosthetics and orthotics are becoming part of a broader state-level approach to disability inclusion in Chhattisgarh.
The next challenge will be ensuring that each device becomes the beginning of an effective rehabilitation pathway rather than the end of a distribution programme.
- Big News Network – Chhattisgarh CM Distributes Assistive Devices Under Project Sahara
- Press Information Bureau – ALIMCO and Divyang Sahara Yojana in Budget 2026–27
- Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India – ALIMCO
- Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
- Government of Chhattisgarh