An App to help locate disabled friendly buildings & facilities in cities

Dear Friends,

This one looks really interesting. I am aware that many cities in the world particular in the western countries do provide such a service. In Indian context, we have had access guides that helped people with reduced mobility to go around. However, an app for the android based smart phones is an in thing since this can be patronised by a large number of user-groups who frequently go out and commute.

Perhaps we could also introduce Accessibility Ratings for the Buildings which could readily hint people about the level of accessibility in the particular building. Here is the news item from The Mint on the initiative by the Maharashtra Govt.

Mapping disabled-friendly buildings and facilities

Leveraging Google Maps, Accessible Places categorizes places based on services such as banks, ATMs, etc. 

Arundhati Ramanathan

Mumbai: It would solve so many of my problems if I knew which places were disabled-friendly,” said Asha Sinha, a 52-year-old whose leg was afflicted by polio. 

Sinha, who lives in the Mumbai suburb of Andheri, uses an electric wheelchair to get around. However, her movements are limited to her home, since most outdoor places do not have any support structures like ramps for easy access. “Every time I step out, I need two people to accompany me to lift the wheelchair,” she says. 

The Maharashtra government may have a solution for Sinha and 26.8 million more people with disabilities in the country, according to the 2011 census. The government’s directorate of information technology launched a mobile phone application called Accessible Places in February, where users can locate disabled-friendly places in the state. 

The idea for the app comes from the Persons With Disabilities Act, 2012 (PWD Act), which emphasizes on equality and non-discrimination which extends to all disability categories. 

“The disabled should enjoy the freedom and liberty to move to places they wish within the jurisdiction of the state or country. The government of Maharashtra is focused on promoting the rights of persons with physical disabilities through a range of social welfare approaches,” says the directorate. 

Leveraging Google Maps, the app, which is still in early stages of development, categorizes places based on services such as banks, ATMs, libraries, hospitals, schools, parking, heritage sites, metro stations, railway stations, restaurants and parks. 

Users can search for a location by selecting the type of service and the application shows all the places in that category on the map which accommodates the special needs of people. 

Accessible Places is a crowd-sourced app, which means its accuracy and coverage depend heavily on the users updating the information. 

Users can also add photos of places while adding information to make it more user-friendly. 

For example, Mumbai’s Ghatkopar metro station carries the disabled-friendly stamp on it on the app’s map. A picture uploaded by a user shows textured tiles intended to give a good grip to those using wheelchairs. It also says the station has an elevator wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair and has a ramp from road level up to the elevator, enabling easy access. 

“Very few places are disabled-friendly in India,” says Janaki Pillai, director of operations at Ability Foundation, a non-governmental organization working for empowerment, integration and rights of people with disabilities. “However, we are seeing a more conscious effort, especially from the newer buildings, to make them more inclusive.”

A first-of-its kind initiative from a state government, the app is available on all Android devices. iOS and Windows Mobile versions are also on the cards. It is free for use and does not need registration. 

“The app is one of the means by which we are extending support for sustainable and inclusive growth of the differently-abled persons and ensure they can visit places of their needs and those are accessible easily by the means of technology,” the directorate said. 

The organization believes that technology will help address crucial needs of the differently-abled. “People are now highly engaged with technology with the help of their smart phones. And mobile apps cater to every need and every aspect of life.”

The number of smartphone users in India was 51 million last year, which is expected to more than double to 104 million in 2014, according to the fourth edition of consultancy Deloitte’s estimates for the technology, media and telecommunications in India.

Mahaonline Ltd, a four-year-old joint venture between the state government and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd funded the app development. 

Mahaonline focuses on facilitating e-enablement and delivery of citizen-centric services.

Only a few disabled-friendly places are mapped at present, but the government hopes to map almost all state facilities soon and then nationwide infrastructure. 

The government is looking for proactive initiative from regional areas as well. It is also insisting that all departments and private organizations create provisions for the disabled in any new infrastructure or facility being set up. More disabled-friendly places will make the application richer and more useful.

“Though the impact of the initiative is not visible as of now, the Maharashtra government will make deliberate efforts for more mature and sustainable use of technology to the advantage of physically- challenged people,” the directorate said.

The government also hopes this application will be a catalyst to change the mindset of other governments and the people at large to address the basic needs of this section. 

“Fruits of the labour in terms of infrastructure changes and creation of a huge database where physically challenged persons can browse for accessible places will be visible in the near future,” said the directorate.

“This app is a great beginning,” said Pillai of Ability Foundation. “And the disabled will have a vested interest to make it better.”

Mint has a strategic partnership with Digital Empowerment Foundation, which hosts the mBillionth Awards.

Source: The Mint

No Transfer or Voluntary Retirement for Govt. Employees having kids with disabilities

Dear Colleagues,

Government employees who have differently-abled children will be exempted from routine transfers to take care of the children. Such parents will not be asked to take voluntary retirement on refusing such postings, the Centre has said.

A government employee with a disabled child serves as the main caregiver and any displacement of such employee will have a bearing on the systemic rehabilitation of the child since the new environment or set-up could prove to be a hindrance for the rehabilitation process, it said.

As per the recent DoPT order No. No.42011/3/2014-Estt.(Res.) dated 06 June 2014,  the word 'disabled' for this purpose would include: 

(i) blindness or low vision

(ii) hearing impairment 

(iii) locomotor disability or Cerebral Palsy

(iv) leprosy cured 

(v) mental retardation 

(vi) mental illness and 

(vii) Multiple Disabilities

"Rehabilitation is a process aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal physical, sensory, intellectual, and psychiatric or a social functional level. The support system comprises of preferred linguistic zone, school/academic level, administration, neighbours, tutors/special educators, friends, medical care including hospitals, therapists and doctors, etc. Thus, rehabilitation is a continuous process and creation of such support system takes years together", explains the order.

Hence, considering that the Government employee.who has disabled child serve as the main care giver of such child, any displacement of such Government employee will have a bearing on the systemic rehabilitation of the disabled child since the new environment/set up could prove to be a hindrance for the rehabilitation process of the child. Therefore, a Government servant who is also a caregiver of disabled child may be exempted from the routine exercise of transfer/rotational transfer subject to the administrative constraints.

To download a copy of Signed DoPT Order above click HERE

Related news: 

Times of India: Don't transfer parents of differently-abled kids: Govt

Temple Trust retracts from appointing women, backward caste as Priests

Please refer to my earlier post titled  "Progressive Temple Trust wants women and backward caste to work as priests"

In a sudden volte-face, the temple management committee of the historic Vitthal Rukmani temple in the pilgrimage town of Pandharpur has decided to temporarily put brakes on its decision to recruit women and non-Brahmins as priests.

The temple committee, which met on Monday to announce the names of successful candidates, instead decided to seek an opinion from the state’s law and judiciary department on whether it was entitled to make such appointments.

The decision to invite applications from woman and non-Brahmin priests was taken by the temple committee in the last week of April. In response to the advertisements placed by the committee, 161 candidates including 23 women turned up for the series of interviews conducted on May 18. It was expected that the names of the successful candidates would be announced on Monday. Speaking to The Indian Express, former minister and temple committee chairman Anna Dange had earlier said the move aimed to break the hegemony of Brahmins over priesthood.

Dange, when asked about the sudden U-turn, said the Warkari community had staged protests in the temple town a few days back against the decision. “The Vitthal Rukmani temple is the nerve centre for the Warkari cult. They had questioned the rights of the temporary committee to appoint priests. So we have  asked an opinion from the law and judiciary department about it. Once the decision comes, we will go ahead with the appointments,” he said. When asked why no such opinion was sought before conducting the interviews, Dange refused to comment.

Sanjay Teli, the chief executive officer the temple, said when the matter was tabled for discussion at the meeting the committee decided to seek an opinion.

While Dange insisted that the recruitment process had been suspended temporarily, many in the temple committee, which incidentally comprises many senior leaders from NCP and Congress, said the actual reason behind the decision could be political. Senior officers associated with the committee said in view of the upcoming Assembly elections it did not want to anger the powerful Warkari community. It might be recalled that protests by the Warkaris in 2008 had led to the shutdown of Dow Chemical’s proposed plant in Pune.

Located in the Solapur district of the state, the 900-year-old temple is the nerve centre of the Warkari community. The community has presence in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other parts of the country.

While the community is supposed to be egalitarian, the move to open up priesthood to non-Brahmins and women, was met with strong opposition. Earlier this  year, the Supreme Court had overturned the hereditary rights of priesthood at the shrine enjoyed by the families of Badve and Utpats. For Hema Ashtekar, one of the applicants who had appeared for the interviews, the decision to halt the recruitment process is a “regressive move” and  “smacks of chauvinism”. “The protests by the Warkaris is illogical,” she said.

Source: Indian Express -  Pandharpur temple does a U-turn: No woman, non-Brahmin priests for now

DoPT issued the Memorandum on Facilities for Govt. Employees for efficient performance of duties

Dear Colleagues,

Please refer to earlier post dated 18 Feb 2014 titled "Guidelines for Comments - Facilities for Govt. Employees with Disabilities for efficient performance of Duties" wherein I had placed before you the draft from the sector and what it became when it went to the DoPT. 

The DoPT has finally notified the draft with some changes vide its OM No.No.36035/3/2013-Estt.(Res) dated 31st March 2014 which are as below:

Accessibility and Barrier free environment at workplace. Following has been added which has improved the earlier draft : 
Lifts/elevators should be made accessible by providing Braille signage and audio outputs. Wherever required, suitable colour contrast may also be made available in buildings, utilities, staircases, etc. for the benefit of low vision employees. 

Special casual leave
In the earlier draft a special casual leave of 15 days mainly for inpatient treatment in CGHS recommended hospitals was given over and above all other leaves/ special casual leaves. However, in the final version, it takes away the leave sought to be granted. It now find mentions only of the existing four days leave in a calendar year for attending medical needs and 10 days leave for attending disability related conferences etc.  thereby defeating the objective of 15 days special leave. This means the section has literally been rendered useless as it doesn't give anything new and only reiterates what was existing earlier.

Guidelines have some positive things too

The guidelines though not close to what we had demanded, are a good beginning since it now gives the employees with disabilities the following facilities as a matter of right among others:

(a) Post recruitment and Pre-promotion Training. 
(b) Provision of aids/ assistive devices
(c) Accessibility & barrier free environment at workplace.
(d) Preference in Govt. Accommodation 
(e) Grievance redressal mechanisms &
(f) Preference in transfer/posting

Download the policy in PDF by clicking the weblink below:

OM No.No.36035/3/2013-Estt.(Res) dated 31st March 2014 titled "Guidelines for providing certain facilities in respect of persons with disabilities who are already employed in Government for efficient performance of their duties

Revised Code of Bank's Commitment to Customers: 2014 integrates needs of Seniors & Disabled

Dear Colleagues,

After the recent guidelines of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) & Indian Bank's Association (IBA) detailing on accessibility of banks and its services for the disabled and elderly, needs of certain disabilities under the National Trust etc, the Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) which lays down the voluntary codes adopted by banks has in its 2014 revised version of the code has prominently dedicated a section on Senior Citizens and Differently abled.

This is a voluntary Code of Customer Rights, which sets minimum standards of banking practices member banks have to follow while they deal with individual customers. It provides protection to customers and explains how banks are expected to deal with customers in their day-to-day operations.

The extract of Section 11 from the recently revised Code is reproduced for your information below:

Extract from Code of Bank’s Commitment to Customers – January 2014

11. SENIOR CITIZENS AND DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSONS

a. We will make our best efforts to make it easy and convenient for our special customers like senior citizens, differently abled and illiterate persons to bank with us. This will include making convenient policies, products and services for such applicants and customers.

b. We will endeavour to develop systems and procedures to improve access to banking services by you.

c. We will endeavour to make physical access to our branches and ATMs convenient for you.

d. We will sensitise our staff interacting with you to assist you in carrying out your banking transactions.

e. In addition to all the other commitments made in this Code –

i. We will accord due priority to you. We will endeavour to provide you personalized services for banking transactions and redressal of grievances.

ii. We will endeavour to provide seating arrangements in the banking hall.

iii. We will endeavour to provide you our services through a Single Window mechanism.

iv. We will permit withdrawal of your funds, up to limits set by you, by persons authorized by you on production of the authorization letter and passbook.

v. We will endeavour to provide ‘Doorstep’ banking (pick up of cash /instruments for credit to the account or delivery of cash / demand drafts against issue of cheque / requisition in writing) in special circumstances like ill health, inability to come to the branch, etc.

vi. We will issue a pension slip to you (pensioners) containing details of the pension credited to your account.

vii. We will endeavour to arrange to disburse the pension at the doorstep, in special circumstances.

viii. We will accept the Life Certificate that is required to be submitted by you (pensioners) at any branch of our bank.

ix. We will guide relatives / parents of disabled persons on how to appoint a legal guardian, under the National Trust Act, 1999, for disabled persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities who can then open and operate accounts for such persons.

x. We will ensure that all the banking facilities such as cheque book facility, ATM facility, Net banking facility, locker facility, retail loans, credit cards etc., are invariably offered to the visually challenged without any discrimination.

xi. We will render all possible assistance to the visually challenged for availing various banking facilities.

xii. We will endeavour to arrange regular meetings so that you may voice your concerns and benefit from collective experience.

To read the entire code, please click the link: Code of Bank’s Commitment to Customers – January 2014