October 5, 2018:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed the Delhi High Court that it is exploring the feasibility of developing a device for the identification of Bank Notes by the visually impaired.

RBI has  informed a Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon & Justice V Kameswar Rao that for developing an application, a presentation has also been taken from a Mobile App Developer, who has developed the app specifically for the identification of notes by the visually impaired.

RBI said in the Affidavit,“Changing design of currency is a serious matter and needs to be considered with respect to its viability, cost and other factors at all levels. RBI is exploring various Alternative Options including the feasibility of developing a mechanism/device for identification of Denomination of Banknotes by the Visually Impaired.”

RBI’s reply comes on an application filed by advocate Rohit Dandriyal in a pending PIL filed by three advocates, a Company Secretary & NGO All India Confederation of Blind, who had sought a change in the new currency notes to make them easily identifiable and differentiable for the visually impaired.

The PIL has said visually impaired people were facing hardship in the identification, usage and transaction of the new currency notes of Rs 2,000, Rs 500, Rs 200 and Rs 50 denominations.

RBI informed that the introduction of the application requires comprehensive discussion and has to be examined in entirety including possible alternative solutions.

However, it did not recommend the feasibility to Print Notes in different shapes because of the disadvantages like Folded Corners being confused with clipped corners, concerns in handling and degradation, creation of false positives, etc.

Source: Hindustan Times

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