With the visually impaired in the state having a hard time distinguishing the recently issued  Re 1, Re 2, Re 5 and 50 paise  coins, the Kerala chapter of  Daisy Forum of India, an NGO involved in production of books and reading material in blind accessible format, has submitted a memorandum to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue Braille-friendly notes and coins.

The NGO complains the visually impaired, who want to lead independent lives, are forced to depend on others to tell the coins apart.

Mani, a 20-year-old visually impaired  student of the Kasargod Government Higher Secondary School said, “ The shape and size of all these coins are so similar that it is hard for the visually impaired to tell them apart. Such aspects of coin making should be  kept in mind for the comfort of everyone living in the country. Instead of creating a friendly environment for the visually impaired, the government is making things more complicated for them.”

Executive member of Daisy Forum of India,  Ram Kamal , says the lack of distinction between the coins is a clear violation of the RBI’s own guidelines. “We have brought the issue to the notice of the authorities and they have promised to make the new series blind- friendly,” he added.

Source: Deccan Chronicle