We should flood RBI mailboxes. From: Asudani, Rajesh Sent: 11 October 2018 11:50 To: CGM-I-C DCM <[email protected]>; DCM Planning Division <[email protected]> Cc: Dr. Viral V Acharya <[email protected]> Subject: Making Indian Currency accessible--not the technology way
Madam / Sir I am a totally blind Indian citizen using currency. I have come to know that to solve the long-standing problem of inaccessibility of INR Notes for the blind, RBI is mulling coming up with some technological solution like some app or so. There were times when all INR notes were easily identifiable as they had different sizes. In the mad rush for modernization and sophistication, we have given up much that was intuitively simple and useful. The same holds true about INR notes which are almost uniform in size now which makes it a hell for blind and senior citizens to use them. I have already tried to use some of the apps which identify denomination of INR. Their results are not at all satisfactory. OCR has not yet advanced enough to call it fool-proof. Moreover, it is totally impracticable to use an app with a device in crowded transport, moving vehicle, Indian streets and in any typical Indian scenario of give and take. Taking out the mobile device, holding it and focusing on the note and hering the results all involve almost a superhuman effort for a blind person in the cacophony that is India, while simultaneously being mobile and oriented without seeing. We have come across many instances where mobile phones have been snatched from the hands of blind users when they were making calls. This type of scenarios may not be prevalent from those countries were you were referring to while using technology intervention. Besides, for a vast majority of blind citizens, it is beyond their means to buy a smart phone at present, unless of course, the central bank has a plan of providing it along with app free of charge, Smile! There are many blind persons who are into hawking low priced items. Their working conditions is extremely challenging. If they were to use only such devices their output would fall substantially and thereby lower their income which itself is paultry. Far from it being a progressive measure it would in reality be an extremely regressive step. I would like to place it on record that I in unmistakable terms reject the approach of using technology intervention as a primary mechanism of identification in determining the denomination. This can be best a secondary or tertiary approach. The stationary used on international currency are polymer based which makes it the symbols crisp and easy to identify. The material used presently is not suitable for it especially in our climatic conditions. International standards have called for 10mm distinction between the nearest currency and we strongly support for this to be observed in our currency. It is also wrong to say that use of physical currency is on the decline. Statistically the propensity to use paper currency continues to be on the rise As is evident from the RBI annual report for 2017-2018: VIII.2 The value of banknotes in circulation increased by 37.7 per cent over the year to ₹18,037 billion as at end-March 2018. The volume of banknotes, however, increased by 2.1 per cent. In value terms, the share of ₹500 and ₹2000 banknotes, which had together accounted for 72.7 per cent of the total value of banknotes in circulation at end-March 2017, increased to 80.2 per cent as at end-March 2018. The share of newly introduced ₹200 banknotes in the total value of banknotes in circulation was 2.1 per cent as at end-March 2018. In volume terms, ₹10 and ₹100 banknotes constituted 51.6 per cent of total banknotes in circulation as at end- March 2018 as compared to 62.0 per cent at end-March 2017 (Table VIII.1<https://rbi.org.in/scripts/AnnualReportPublications.aspx?Id=1235#T1>).”” Even technology driven tools like POS terminals,ATM’s, websites, etc. are by and large inaccessible. Despite the directions given in so many years the ground reality is far from satisfactory because of absence of enforcing the existing directions. In view of the above we urge you to work on making 10 mm differentiation between the nearest denomination notes which is the simple enough solution. Make all the POS and ATM’s, all portals and apps having financial transactions fully accessible. सादर / With thanks & Regards राजेश आसुदानी Rajesh Asudani सहायक महाप्रबन्धक AGM बाजार आसूचना ईकाई MIU भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक Reserve Bank of India नागपुर Nagpur 0712 2806846 President VIBEWA Co-Moderator VIB-India A-pilll = Action coupled with Positivity, Interest, Love, Logic and laughter. ________________________________ 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. 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