Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/dec/24/new-currency-notes-pose-problems-for-visually-impaired-1915955.html new-currency-notes-pose-proble... www.newindianexpress.com void(0); www.newindianexpress.com 2018 With TNIE HomeCitiesBengaluru New currency notes pose problems for visually-impaired The new currency circulation in the market is confusing the visually-challenged who depend upon the feel of the note. new-currency-notes-pose-proble... ; ; ; Published: 24th December 2018 10:21 PM | Last Updated: 25th December 2018 09:09 AM | A+A A- By Shrabona Ghosh Express News Service BENGALURU : The new currency circulation in the market is confusing the visually-challenged who depend upon the feel of the note.The visually-impaired recognise notes through its length and width, a manoeuvre they master through practice. The new denomination notes of 50, 100, 200 and 500 are creating problems for them as the notes are difficult to differentiate. "Adapting to the sizes of the new currency notes is a significant challenge for the blind. Identifying notes through length, width and tactile markings need immense practice. They struggle to identify the new denominations as they get confused," M Srinivas, Chief Executive Officer, The National Association For The Blind (NAB), told City Express. S Jagendra, a 51-year-old in NAB, struggled to differentiate among the new denominations of 100, 10, 50 and 200 and identified the new `200 note as a `50 one."Losing even a `100 note is a huge loss for them," Srinivas said.Ninety per cent of the visually-impaired population are dependent on cash. "Note X, a device earlier used by the visually-impaired for recognising different denominations, is now losing relevance amid the introduction of new currency notes," he added. In the era of digitisation, softwares like Voice Over in iPhones, Talk Back in Android, Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) are a blessing to the sightless. "To avoid hassles of cash transactions, I use the voiceover software on Paytm," said Abdul Rehman, a 22- year-old UPSC candidate. Susmita D said she avoids keeping higher denominations with her and uses separate compartments in her purse to keep the new notes to avoid being cheated. "The introduction of the notes have made the visually-impaired highly dependent, which is a constraint for them," said Pramila R, a teacher at NAB.Responding to a PIL filed last year, the RBI, in its bi-monthly monetary policy, said it would come up with feasible note-recognition features for the visually-impaired. Some new tactile markings have been introduced in the new denominations for their feasibility. "Introducing markings in the new denomination will not solve problems until the visually-impaired are made aware of them. Only a handful of educated sightless people know about this. The government should come up with methods to raise awareness about the same," said Srinivas. Many petitions regarding introduction of Braille on currency notes are doing the rounds. He added that appeals have been made and they are just waiting for the government's response.In Australia, the bank notes have a number of features that assist visually-impaired people. Canadian bank notes have Braille dots. ________________________________ Caution: The Reserve Bank of India never sends mails, SMSs or makes calls asking for personal information such as your bank account details, passwords, etc. It never keeps or offers funds to anyone. Please do not respond in any manner to such offers, however official or attractive they may look. Notice: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use, review, distribution, printing or copying of the information contained in this e-mail message and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. If you have received this email by error, please notify us by return e-mail or telephone and immediately and permanently delete the message and any attachments. The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The Reserve Bank of India accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
