What special policy measures you would suggest for full financial inclusion of the disabled? Discuss keeping in focus the problems faced by persons with disabilities in the aftermath of demonetization.

The problems faced by persons with disabilities in the aftermath of demonetization are-

• Long queues outside ATMs and banks.
• Despite the RBI guidelines for banks to be well equipped with ramps and wheel-chairs, they still do not possess them and therefore remain inaccessible.

Some of the measures to improve the financial inclusion of the disabled are-

• Staff Training- In order to increase awareness of the disabled difficulties. An important aspect is to increase sensitivity.
• Hiring of People with Disabilities- Recruiting of persons with disabilities as staff members. This will make it easier to connect to the clients.
• Provisions of ramps at the ATMs and banks. Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan is definitely a positive step in this regard.
• In order to increase accessibility, audio verifications can also be implemented in in places which are only having captcha.
• Special counters at the banks especially meant for the disabled.
• With the help of the postal facility, cash can be made available to the disabled directly at the door step.

Therefore, referring to the disabled persons as ‘divyang’ (those with divine bodies) will come to reality when financial inclusion is actually met out to them in actual terms and the disabled do not face widening gap and are at par with all members of the society.

Topics: GS-III: Economic Growth Development