JOIN USAmid the hustle and bustle of the New Delhi railway station, three yellow- coloured tricycles fitted with telephones for public use hardly draw attention of people.
After making a short call, a customer while leaving grumbles about the “per minute call charges”.
As the saying goes, today’s newspaper will become tomorrow’s waste paper, the same phrase applies for Government-launched schemes as well and stands true especially if the scheme is a technology based one.
Launched in 2004 on the occasion of 60th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, the mobile PCO/STD scheme was meant to make differently- abled people self-reliant.
With the only eligibility criteria of 40 per cent disability for the target group, the scheme was allocated Rs one crore and each differently abled person had to get one tricycle, one Reliance Inform connection with free talk time of Rs 3,000 and a billing machine.
After 10 years since the scheme was launched, neither a Reliance connection nor self-reliance can be spotted among the operators of these PCOs.
The robust rate of advancements in communication technology has now enabled everyone to own a basic mobile handset. From maids to CEOs, if there is one form of technology which can be commonly spotted and has spread uniformly is the mobile cellular technology.
While the technology can now be seen as an expression of growth and equality, the owners and operators of these mobile PCOs have nothing to harness as they neither posses the high earnings to sustain their lives nor savings to invest in another venture.
“Four to five years ago, there used to be a huge line in front of our booths as those coming out of the railway station had to inform their family members of their well-being.
Our daily income used to be around Rs 1,000. Now it has shrunk down to Rs 200,” says Pradeep Kumar Pal, a tricycle owner with polio disability.
Now, since the mobile phone is just a pocket away, people come and use our services only when their mobiles have run out of charge or lost during their journey, added Pal.
When asked about starting another venture, the three owners with different kinds of disabilities utter in unison, “Madam, we face difficulties meeting our daily expenses, how can we invest in something else.”
The differently abled owners hailing from neighbouring states, live on pavements in front of the railway station which is their abode.
“These people have monopolised the area. They charge on the basis of minutes and don’t even give a bill. The mobile rates are much cheaper as they charge on the basis of number of seconds,” said Ashok Kumar, an engineer.
The local calls are charged at Rs 2 per minute while the STD calls are charged at Rs 3 per minute.As per the 2001 census, India has a total population of over two crore differently abled, out of which, over two lakh reside in the national capital.
The empowerment of differently abled persons, envisioned by the Government a decade ago has still not translated into reality, a major reason being short-sighted policy vision.
With the national capital becoming the second most populous city in 2014, the welfare schemes for the marginalised need to be devised with a long term vision wherein the potential of emerging technologies need to be harnessed in a pre-defined time frame.
Merely allocating technological devices to empower those on edge won’t help. A constant interface and training of this population with various types of technological and economical advancements would result in greater inclusion and self – reliance of the individuals.