Ensure facilitation of PWDs, demands DPWS from banks

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, October 6

The Disabled Persons Welfare Society (DPWS) on Saturday appealed bank managers to implement the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India regarding financial transactions for physically challenged persons.

In a release, Sandeep Sharma, president of the DPWS, said a majority of ATMs were lacking ramps for physically-challenged persons. In the absence of ramps, it is difficult for physically challenged persons to access ATM’s while using a wheelchair.

Sharma further stated that ATMs installed after July 2014, were supposed to have talking ATMs with Braille keypads but unfortunately a majority of these were sans this arrangement.

Sharma demanded that clearly identifiable and dedicated counters be set up at all branches for senior citizens and for differently-abled persons. He also demanded that banks should make their websites more user friendly for persons with disabilities as per the International Accessability Standards. The Government of India has already asked all banks to make necessary changes in their websites under the Accessible India Campaign, said Sandeep Sharma.