Accessibility to banking facilities is crucial for financial inclusion of persons with disabilities and for achieving the dream of turning India into a digital economy. A recent visit to the SBI Bank at Madel-Chorao branch saw disabled and senior citizens struggling to climb the steps at bank entrance. Banks and ATMs should provide ramps in all existing and future ATMs, bank premises and make at least one third of new ATMs installed as talking ATMs with Braille keypads. The circulars says that banks have to take necessary steps to provide all existing ATMs / future ATMs including premises with ramps so that wheel chair users / persons with disabilities can easily access them and to undertake day-to-day banking transactions. RBI guidelines make it very clear that banks should provide doorstep services to people with disabilities and senior citizens, but the reality is grim. This perennial problem could be solved only if banks start following RBI guidelines scrupulously. There should be widespread awareness campaigns and sensitisation training for banking officials about these guidelines and to bring about attitudinal changes. The office of Commissioner for PwD should take the note of it.
