August 13, 2019
In an important announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
directed the Department of Empowerment of People with Disabilities to develop
an app that would help resolve the problems faced by people with
disabilities.
Be compassionate towards disabled people and speed up implementation of the
Accessible India Campaign (AIC). This is the direction given by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Department of
Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) during a review of
the progress made under the campaign.
This involves work to begin on the development of a >mark>mobile phone
application that disabled people can use to upload images related to problems
they may be facing.
Once the images are uploaded by the user, concerned departments will be
obliged to take relevant action and provide a resolution. Mumbai-based Senior
Systems Engineer Jasmina Khanna believes the app is a
progressive idea, one that will bring about positive change.
“I think the app is a good initiative and the fact that the order has come
from the PM is great”, says Jasmina. An app of this nature, she believes will
make life easier for the community. “There are so many schemes for disabled
people but they are unable to access them because there is so much hassle,
documentation and running around. The entire process brings the morale of the
community down”.
Given the painfully slow progress of goals set under the AIC, there are some
apprehensions as well.
I must congratulate the Honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modiji for
thinking about this app through which persons with disabilities can report
on accessibility and issues related to disability. However, one must
realise and I think it is important for the government to note as well that
such a change will not happen unless accountability is set. There are
timelines in which any problem reported by somebody is closed. Such things
have been tried in the past. The AIC had an app which did not really come
to fruition or lead to much. So kudos to the government for yet again
thinking about the app but unless resources are allocated, timelines are
set, I don’t really think much change will happen. – Nipun
Malhotra, CEO, Nipman Foundation
The fact that the direction has come from the PM raises much hope among the
community. For Arun Dua, who works with the NGO
Disha in Chandigarh, the directive from the top is a sign of things
changing.
“The PM’s directive for an app to track malpractices is welcome move. This
will stop fake Divyangs with fake certificates from taking advantage
of the facilities and reservations meant for disabled people”, says Dua. He
also believes the app will facilitate the creation of accessible public
places and buildings.
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/pm-modi-announces-development-of-app-for-pwd
