<p>Bengaluru: At the ‘AI for All: Innovating Inclusion, Empowering Lives’, a national conference on AI and inclusivity, held in Bengaluru on Friday, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) launched four tech-based initiatives aimed at leveraging AI for the benefit of the differently-abled. </p>.<p>Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD launched tech initiatives — 'Mission AI Accessibility', an effort by DEPwD and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to enhance digital inclusivity across platforms, and ‘Mission AI: Implementation of AI in Assistive Technology and Tools for Empowering Persons with Disabilities’, which focuses on utilising AI to design and scale assistive solutions.</p>.<p>"This conference is the first step in carrying forward these two initiatives. Under these, we will be promoting the use of AI to counter disabilities and working closely with Indian startups innovating in this field. We have taken on the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India as the nodal body,” Aggarwal told DH. In the coming months, the organisation plans to take the conference to rural areas.</p>.<p>A National Disability Support AI Chatbot was also launched at the event. Developed with NAB Delhi and Sarvam AI, the voice- and WhatsApp-based chatbot provides access to over 250 government and non-profit schemes.</p>.<p>DEPwD also inaugurated the Unified Benefits Interface (UBI). Modelled after UPI and DigiLocker, the system aims to simplify access to government schemes.</p>.<p>"We are digitalising and automating government benefits, schemes, and policies to reach beneficiaries within 24 hours in education, health, livelihood, and finance. Disabled students will receive scholarships in their accounts within a day.</p>.<p>UBI will ensure services are delivered without bureaucratic delays, Aggarwal explained. Regarding concerns about Unique Disability ID (UDID), Aggarwal said e-KYC-based address updation would be possible for UDID holders from next week.</p>.<p>“Under the current system, if one moves from Bengaluru to Delhi, they will be required to surrender their UDID in Bengaluru and apply for a new one in Delhi, which is a lengthy process. This is a concern many have raised. Going forward, the changes can be made online,” he said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: At the ‘AI for All: Innovating Inclusion, Empowering Lives’, a national conference on AI and inclusivity, held in Bengaluru on Friday, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) launched four tech-based initiatives aimed at leveraging AI for the benefit of the differently-abled. </p>.<p>Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD launched tech initiatives — 'Mission AI Accessibility', an effort by DEPwD and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to enhance digital inclusivity across platforms, and ‘Mission AI: Implementation of AI in Assistive Technology and Tools for Empowering Persons with Disabilities’, which focuses on utilising AI to design and scale assistive solutions.</p>.<p>"This conference is the first step in carrying forward these two initiatives. Under these, we will be promoting the use of AI to counter disabilities and working closely with Indian startups innovating in this field. We have taken on the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India as the nodal body,” Aggarwal told DH. In the coming months, the organisation plans to take the conference to rural areas.</p>.<p>A National Disability Support AI Chatbot was also launched at the event. Developed with NAB Delhi and Sarvam AI, the voice- and WhatsApp-based chatbot provides access to over 250 government and non-profit schemes.</p>.<p>DEPwD also inaugurated the Unified Benefits Interface (UBI). Modelled after UPI and DigiLocker, the system aims to simplify access to government schemes.</p>.<p>"We are digitalising and automating government benefits, schemes, and policies to reach beneficiaries within 24 hours in education, health, livelihood, and finance. Disabled students will receive scholarships in their accounts within a day.</p>.<p>UBI will ensure services are delivered without bureaucratic delays, Aggarwal explained. Regarding concerns about Unique Disability ID (UDID), Aggarwal said e-KYC-based address updation would be possible for UDID holders from next week.</p>.<p>“Under the current system, if one moves from Bengaluru to Delhi, they will be required to surrender their UDID in Bengaluru and apply for a new one in Delhi, which is a lengthy process. This is a concern many have raised. Going forward, the changes can be made online,” he said.</p>