Govt websites make magnifying moves for visually challenged

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 13

The Haryana Government is revamping its websites for visually challenged persons with the facility to magnify text up to 200 per cent, screen readers, text alternative of images and colour contrast for colour blind.

So far, 41 out of 61 state government websites have been equipped to support the visually challenged.

“It is part of Accessible India Campaign. Within days, all the remaining websites will be revamped,” said Neerja Sekhar, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment, Haryana.

She added, “The central government is funding it and in Haryana, M/s RV Solutions Private Limited has been tasked to upgrade the websites.”

The National Informatics Centre (NIC), which comes under the central government, is revamping 22 district administration websites in the state.

“The content has to be redesigned as per accessibility guidelines for Indian Government websites. For a website like csharyana.gov.in, it requires at least a month because of heavy data,” said Sandeep Thakur, Business Development Manager, RV Solutions Private Limited.

The revamped websites will be certified through Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) for compliance of accessibility guidelines. The STQC comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Meanwhile, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is making 89 buildings in Faridabad and Gurugram specially abled-friendly. “Most of the work is complete,” said Sekhar. In the second phase, government buildings in 10 districts of the state and buildings under Haryana Government in Chandigarh will be targeted.

“Not just entry through ramps, but lifts should be wide enough for wheel chairs, tactile flooring, signages and public toilets for physically challenged are a must,” added Sekhar.

The Public Works Department (PWD) of Haryana will bear the expenses. The total specially abled population of Haryana is 5.46 lakh as per Census 2011.

Insightful gains

• It is part of Accessible India Campaign. The central government is funding it and in Haryana, M/s RV Solutions Private Limited has been tasked with upgrading the websites

• The National Informatics Centre, which comes under the central government, is revamping 22 district administration websites in the state

• The facility will magnify text up to 200 per cent, screen readers, text alternative of images