The government is going to make it compulsory for all mobile phone-makers that manufacture minimum five models to produce at least one handset which addresses needs of persons with disabilities.
Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash said:
“Mobile manufacturers who manufacture five or more mobile handsets shall be mandated to provide at least one model that satisfy need of person with disabilities (PwDs). DoT will create and maintain a database of devices and ancillary equipment.”
According to 2011 population census, India had over 21 crore people with different kind of disabilities.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has adopted the measures identified by International Telecommunications Union in this regard.
This will be applicable for all the 21 types of disabilities which have been identified under rights of PWD.
These 21 types of disabilities include:
- Blindnes
- Low Vision
- Leprosoy Cured persons
- Locomotor Disability
- Dwarfism
- Intellectual Disability
- Mental Illness
- Cerebral Palsy
- Specific Learning Disabilities
- Speech and Language disability
- Hearing Impairment ( Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Acid Attack Victim
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Thalassemia
- Hemophilia
- Sickle Cell disease
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Chronic Neurological conditions
- Multiple Disabilities including Deaf Blindness
“We approved that all TSPs (telecom service providers) shall be required to identify customers with PWDs to provide special benefits. This will be under the customer acquisition form. It (disclosure) will be voluntary,” Prakash said.