Visually challenged see little value in Jaitley's initiative for Braille imprinted notes

One of the highlights of Arun Jaitley’s maiden budget 2014 was the announcement of currency notes for the visually challenged in which he said there would be Braille impressions on them. While the Finance Minister may believe he is doing his bit for the community, some of the visually challenged persons Firstbiz spoke to about this weren’t too thrilled.

How do the visually challenged handle currency notes? Currency notes of Rs 1000, Rs 500, Rs 100 and Rs 20 are distinguished by their size. A Rs 1000 note is the largest amongst all the currency notes while a Rs 500 note is longer than the other notes. The partially blind are able to recognize a currency note by the difference in colour, too.

When the currency notes in Braille were being tested, a few were given to Dr Sam Taraporewala, who is an Assistant Professor and Head-Department of Sociology at St Xavier’s College and Director of the Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC). Taraporewala said there are many challenges to the new currency notes. After considerable wear and tear, the Braille letters could erode, limiting its utility.

“Then how will the visually impaired be able to differentiate it?” he asked.

Another way a visually challenged person can identify a note is by folding it to assess its size.

“One cannot always lay it across a flat surface to know its size. This is where the currency notes in Braille would help,” said Rehana K, a housewife who is visually challenged.

“Especially, when the currency notes are old and crumpled, it is difficult to know it by its size. Braille would then help,” she said.

This is not a new move by the government though it is welcome, Ketan Kothari, a manager-advisory with an NGO in Mumbai, said. When the RBI tested the efficacy of currency notes in Braille earlier, they found that the impressions of Braille on the notes would get eroded with use. The currency is not being printed in plastic for the impressions to remain, said Kothari.

Another problem is that a large majority of the visually challenged community in India do not know Braille. Only those who are born blind and have had the advantage of education can read Braille. People who become blind later in their lives are often resistant to study Braille.

Currency notes have not posed a problem for the visually challenged in India, unlike the American dollar. All the currency notes in the US are of the same size and colour, Rehana said.

Instead the government could turn its attentions elsewhere. “The government should focus on the coins it has been issuing lately,” Jatin Shah, engagement specialist at Deloitte, said, adding that people with sight too are challenged by the size and shape of the coins.

“Earlier, coins issued by the government were distinct. One knew a five paise, 10 paise, 25 paise, 50 paise and a rupee coin on the basis of size, shape and weight. Now, the 10 rupee, one rupee, and fifty paise coins are indistinguishable,” Shah said.

The government should not tamper with the length, breadth and the colour of the notes. The visually challenged use them as indicators and also those who are partially blind with regards to the color of the notes, Taraporewala added.

However, K Ramakrishnan, honorary general secretary of the National Association for the Blind, is happy with the government’s initiative. “With the Braille-friendly notes, the government has made it easier for the visually challenged to confidently handle currency notes,” he said.