On Friday (October 11, 2024), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) asked banks to review their payment systems to ensure easier accessibility to persons with disabilities.

All sections of the population, including differently-abled persons, are increasingly adopting digital payment systems, it said in a circular.

“To promote effective access, payment system participants (PSPs), that is, banks and authorised non-bank payment system providers) are advised to review their payment systems/devices in terms of accessibility to Persons with Disabilities,” it noted.

Based on the review, banks and non-bank payment system providers may carry out the necessary modifications in payment systems and devices like point-of-sale machines, which can be accessed and used by persons with disabilities with ease, the RBI said.

The RBI also asked them to refer to the accessibility standards issued by the Ministry of Finance in February.

While selecting potential solutions for the purpose, care should be taken to ensure that the modifications or enhancements do not compromise security aspects of the systems, the central bank said.

PSPs have been asked to submit to the Reserve Bank, within one month, details of their systems/devices that need to be modified, along with a time-bound plan of action for achieving the same.