Latest news with #PwDs
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Persons with disabilities find access to St. Thomas Mount station difficult
The St. Thomas Mount Railway station has undergone a makeover of sorts with an emphasis on improving passenger amenities. The initiative is part of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) project. The railway stations in the city that were constructed decades ago, and have since witnessed improvements in passenger amenities only in piecemeal, have undergone welcome changes, particularly with regard to the appearance of railway stations redeveloped and inaugurated under the ABSS. A total of 15 railway stations are under various stages of redevelopment under ABSS. The redeveloped station has an air-conditioned ticket counter, foot overbridges (FOBs), escalators, shelters, paved parking facility and newly built public conveniences, making commuters wonder if the stations were competing with metro stations. The redeveloped St. Thomas Mount railway station, which was inaugurated along with Sullurpetta by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 22, has, however, been a disappointment for persons with disabilities (PwDs). with regard to accessibility. S. Jayalakshmi, a person with disability, using the Mount railway station, lamented that the newly constructed ticket counter was located at the entrance of the station on Medavakkam Main Road, and the FOB with escalator near Karikalan street, at a distance that PwDs and senior citizens find difficult to cover. While the FOB had been linked to all the six platforms, the Metro, and the upcoming Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) stations, the escalators were, most of the time, not functioning, she said. Vaishnavi Jayakumar, a member of the Freedom Movement Coalition (FMC), said the first redeveloped ABSS station remains inaccessible to PwDs because of various deficiencies. She said the ramp to the ticket counter was paved with polished granite, rendering it unsafe, the platform height of suburban stations had not been increased, resulting in a huge gap, and the station lacked a designated parking space for PwDs. She failure to construct a ramped FOB despite ample space availability, absence of lowered ticket counter, and paved parking would pose severe hardships to passengers with reduced mobility. Also there is nodesignated parking. Ms. Jayakumar said that despite the FMC reaching out to the divisional railway manager in 2022 to ensure that stations were made accessible, neither was an accessibility consultant engaged, nor were detailed design drawings or plans shared. The commuters also wanted shelters along with seats to be installed at platforms 4 and 5. where the air conditioned train is normally stopped. A senior official of Southern Railway regarding the absence of escalators in certain platforms said a escalator connecting platforms 4 and 5 is being installed. An official of the Southern Railway said the redevelopment of the station is an evolving process and the complaints the accessibility would be addressed in the coming months.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Cabinet raises upper age limit for govt jobs to 42 years
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Wednesday approved raising the upper age limit for govt service entry from 32 to 42 years. The decision brings relief to thousands of job aspirants across the state. To implement the decision, an amendment will be made to the Odisha Civil Service (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Rules, 1989, following numerous representations from various quarters requesting age relaxation for govt jobs. However, the new age limit will not apply to positions where a higher age cap is already in place or to uniform services such as police, fire services, forest and excise departments where physical efficiency tests are mandatory. "This decision aims to provide greater opportunities to overage candidates to participate in upcoming recruitment examinations," chief secretary Manoj Ahuja said. The govt arrived at this decision after careful consideration of public demand and current employment scenarios. Additional age relaxation will continue to be available for reserved categories, including ST/SC/SEBC, women, ex-servicemen, and persons with disabilities (PwDs), as per existing govt guidelines. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The move is expected to benefit thousands of job seekers who were previously ineligible due to age restrictions, especially those who crossed the earlier limit of 32 years while preparing for competitive examinations. The amendment marks one of the most significant changes in the state's recruitment policy in recent years, potentially opening doors for experienced professionals to join govt service. The cabinet also approved a major development project for the historic Mahima Gadi and the construction of a new Bhavya Sunya Mandapa at Joranda in Dhenkanal district, fulfilling a long-standing demand of locals. The cabinet accepted the final negotiated offer of Rs 171.11 crore from a bidder. The project, initially estimated to cost Rs 240.01 crore, is scheduled for completion within 36 months. The comprehensive development plan aims to enhance the religious site's infrastructure and boost tourism in the region. "The project will significantly contribute to the area's economic growth by attracting more visitors to the sacred Mahima Gadi," said a senior govt official. The cabinet also gave its approval for a crucial concession agreement between the state govt and JSW Utkal Steel Ltd for developing a captive jetty at Jatadhar Muhan. The project, which received initial nod from the High Level Clearance Authority in 2017, involves the construction of an all-weather multi-cargo, greenfield captive jetty in Jagatsinghpur district's Ersama tehsil. The facility will support JSW's upcoming integrated steel plant and captive power plant in the region. "This development aligns perfectly with our Odisha Port Policy 2022, promoting port-led industrial growth through enhanced infrastructure," a govt statement said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Better PwD access: 11 govt buildings to get infra upgrade
Panaji: Govt is spending Rs 3.3 crore to make 11 govt buildings in Pernem, Mapusa, and Bicholim accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs). The work to install ramps, handrails, and other accessibility features is likely to take four to six months to execute, said officials. The 11 buildings are part of phase II of govt's Accessible India initiative to make all govt offices accessible to PWDs. Though the deadline was April 2023, govt has quite a few buildings that PWDs find cumbersome to access. Recent efforts include installing ramps and other accessibility features in various buildings. The govt is also conducting accessibility audits of public buildings. In Pernem, the PWD has identified the electricity board building, govt complex, Pernem civic body building, and police station, with Rs 1 crore allocated for the works. In Mapusa, another Rs 1 crore will be spent to make the civic body building, Asilo Hospital, and govt complex accessible to all. an amount of Rs 1.3 crore will be spent on the Bicholim civic body building, primary health centre, govt complex, ITI Bicholim. According to PWD officials, in phase I, 21 buildings were made fully accessible, with another 45 planned for phase II. The drive to make govt buildings accessible comes at a time when Goa's department for empowerment of PwDs has announced an accessibility audit of public buildings, transportation systems, educational institutions, and recreational facilities.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Bridging the digital gap: Supreme Court's vision for an accessible India
Is the all-encompassing onslaught of technology creating a huge social divide that ignores large sections of the population, especially persons with disabilities (PwDs), acid attack survivors, visually impaired and rural poor? It seems so as the Supreme Court in a far-reaching order on April 30 said that the right to digital access is a fundamental right and that the right to life under Article 21 should be reinterpreted from a technological viewpoint. In an age where digitisation drives governance, service delivery, and economic transactions, the promise of digital India can only be fulfilled if access is inclusive. While digital tools have streamlined identification, verification, and access to essential services, they have simultaneously left out large sections of the population—especially persons with disabilities (PwDs), including acid attack survivors and the visually impaired—who face systemic barriers in using these platforms. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan were hearing a batch of writ petitions challenging the inaccessibility of digital KYC and e-KYC processes and seeking redress under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, and Article 21 of the Constitution. The petitioners had sought alternative KYC mechanisms that uphold their right to dignity and inclusion. Citing its 2024 verdict in Rajive Raturi vs Union of India, the Supreme Court reiterated that lack of digital accessibility violates Article 21, and ruled that accessibility is a constitutional imperative. The court concluded that bridging the digital divide is a Constitutional imperative, not a policy choice. Seeking a ray of hope The petitioners' grievances centred on the fact that the current KYC verification processes — including live photo capture, facial recognition, and blinking detection — are not designed keeping in mind the disabled. They argued that these methods are exclusionary and violate their right to equal access. Specific directions sought included issuing alternative methods for completing digital KYC, such as using voice recognition or facial feature movements in place of eye-blinking; amending the Reserve Bank of India's KYC Master Directions to reflect inclusive practices for acid attack survivors and the visually impaired; allowing physical KYC or alternative verification for those unable to fulfill visual prompts; sensitising public and private establishments to accommodate persons with disabilities and ensuring accessibility audits and user testing with visually impaired individuals before launching digital platforms. The exclusion of persons with disabilities and marginalised groups has had real-world consequences: petitioners were unable to open bank accounts or procure SIM cards because they couldn't blink to complete facial verification protocols. For those with 100% blindness, such hurdles extend to nearly every digital touchpoint — banking, government schemes, telecom services—thereby obstructing their participation in everyday life. Systemic barriers in current KYC methods The RBI's 2016 Master Direction on KYC, now adopted across banking, finance, telecom, and even governmental schemes, has made digital verification processes indispensable. However, the following methods mandated or commonly used in e-KYC—clicking selfies, signing on screens, OTP verification, reading on-screen prompts, and document scanning — pose substantial hurdles to persons with visual or motor impairments. Face recognition tools lack screen reader compatibility or voice instructions. Signature capturing often requires precise motor control. CAPTCHAs and visual cues, such as blinking or aligning one's face, are impossible for many. The result: people with disabilities often depend on a third person to complete processes, which undermines their autonomy and violates their rights to dignity and privacy. The petitioners argued that under Section 12 of the RPwD Act, public and private players are obligated to provide 'reasonable accommodation' to ensure full participation of disabled persons in all spheres of life. Precedents such as Vikash Kumar v. UPSC, Rajive Raturi v. Union of India, and Disabled Rights Group v. UoI have affirmed the state's duty to facilitate full integration and economic empowerment of PwDs. Digital accessibility in detail The issue of digital accessibility has come to the forefront through several cases, including those of acid attack victims and individuals with visual impairments. These individuals face significant barriers in completing digital KYC processes, which are mandatory for accessing essential services like banking, telecommunications, and government schemes. The digital KYC process, as it stands, excludes persons with disabilities, violating their fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The process requires tasks like clicking selfies, face recognition, and signing documents, which are not accessible to individuals with visual impairments or facial disfigurements. For instance, acid attack victims with permanent eye disfigurement struggle to complete the KYC process due to the requirement of blinking or capturing a live photograph. Similarly, individuals with visual impairments face difficulties in accessing digital platforms, navigating through complex interfaces, and completing tasks independently. Legal and Constitutional context As per the Supreme Court's observations, KYC processes are vital for verifying identities, preventing fraud, and fulfilling obligations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, if such procedures are inherently exclusionary, they undermine the constitutional guarantee of the right to life and dignity under Article 21. The court noted that current digital ecosystems — both public and private — often ignore the tenets of universal design and accessibility. Government websites are frequently incompatible with assistive technologies, and many digital services fail to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These oversights violate the RPwD Act, 2016, and the principles enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is a signatory. Top court shows the way ahead Compliance with accessibility standards: All public and private entities must follow prescribed accessibility norms. Each department must appoint a nodal officer to ensure digital accessibility. Regular accessibility audits: These must be conducted by certified professionals, with the inclusion of persons with visual disabilities during testing phases. Alternative verification methods: The RBI must revise its KYC Master Directions to allow non-visual cues—like voice, facial movements, or other biometric alternatives—to confirm identity and liveness. Customer Due Diligence guidance: The RBI must issue further clarifications mandating regulated entities to offer inclusive processes for verifying customer identities. Inclusive digital transformation The verdict has far-reaching implications beyond just banking or telecom sectors. As the state and private sectors increasingly rely on digital mechanisms for delivering services, they must internalise inclusivity as a design principle rather than an afterthought. Digital exclusion is not merely a matter of inconvenience—it is a denial of basic human rights. Going forward, accessibility must not be siloed as a 'disability issue' but embraced as a mainstream concern. Only then can the true vision of Digital India—where no one is left behind—be realised.
New Indian Express
23-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Pondicherry University to launch UPSC coaching programme for PwDs
PUDUCHERRY: Pondicherry University will launch a free 12-month UPSC coaching programme exclusively for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), organised by the Higher Education for Persons with Special Needs (HEPSN) and the Centre for Study of Social Inclusion (CSSI). The initiative is funded by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The coaching programme will be inaugurated on May 29, 2025 at the university campus and will be conducted entirely in physical mode. PwDs aged between 20 and 41 years, with an annual family income below `8 lakh, who have completed their degree or are in the final semester, and hold a valid Unique Disability Identification (UDID) card, are eligible to apply. Accommodation will be provided for outstation candidates. Selected participants will receive coaching from subject experts, 24×7 access to the university's accessible library, and a monthly stipend of `6,000, disbursed on a quarterly basis. Attendance will be monitored through an Aadhaar-based biometric system; only those with regular attendance will be eligible for the stipend. Applications must be submitted by May 25, 2025 via the official form at along with the required documents. A high-level committee will shortlist applicants, who will be informed individually. Classes are expected to begin by the end of May or the first week of June. The programme is coordinated by Prof G Madan Mohan of the Department of Management Studies, with Dr A Chidambaram, Coordinator of HEPSN, serving as the Nodal Officer. For queries, applicants may write to or call 99940 37077.
