Authors note: This is a re-published post due to an unavoidable technical issue.
Money is important to everyone; It’s essential that everyone needs to be able to identify their own money. Whether we like it or not, not everyone in this world are wise; though we wish!
A few years ago, 5 paisa, 10 paisa, 20 paisa, 25 paisa, 50 paisa, INR 1, INR 2 and INR 5 coins are very easy to identify with unique shape; same was the case with currency notes too due to uniqueness in size. Off late almost all of Indian coins are of same size and there is no shape difference. As a result, often causes confusion. Not only to people with disabilities, I have noticed my own family members got confused between 50 paisa and INR 5 coins! It was habit for people to just feel size of coins and recognize; now that has changed, it causes a lot of difficulty.
I urge the Reserve Bank of India to take necessary steps and make Indian currency accessible to everyone including people with disabilities.
Even today there is a lot of encouragement to use digital payments like BHIM app, electronic trasnfers, electronic wallets etc., But none of them are really accessible to people with disabilities. I would also urge all vendors of these applications to make their apps accessible and comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.
Blind Graduates’ Forum of India has started a campaign on Change.org to push government to make this happen. Do please sign to support the cause.
Let’s spread this word to all relevant departments, app vendors and bring attention of everyone.
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