Four AI missions launched for differently-abled to ensure ease of services

Bengaluru, May 30 (PTI) The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on Friday launched four major digital and technology missions to aid persons with disabilities in receiving government and societal services in the areas of education, healthcare, livelihood, and everyday life.

It is being implemented in collaboration with the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), according to an official statement.

The four missions -- Mission AI Accessibility, Implementation of AI in Assistive Technology and Tools for Empowering People with Disabilities, National Disability Support AI Chat Bot, and Unified Benefits Interface (UBI), modelled on the widespread and popular UPI financial technological tool, were launched here by Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD at the national conference on AI for Empowering Persons with Disabilities.

"India now has one billion digital Aadhaar IDs. The digi-locker, which can have all physical documents in digital form in just one device, and the UPI (Unified Payments Interface), which has made financial transactions easy.

"We are extending this digital footprint for persons with disabilities by digitalising and automating a series of government benefits, schemes and policies, to reach beneficiaries within 24 hours in the areas of education, health, livelihood and finance," said Aggarwal in a statement.

According to him, differently-abled students will receive scholarships in their accounts in 24 hours from now on and people with health problems can interact with a chatbot to clarify and seek medical and health advisory services from home itself.

The UBI will ensure digital and technological interaction between differently-abled people and the government to ensure services are delivered without bureaucratic delays and hindrances. The interaction will be direct, easy and seamless, made possible by AI, he stated. PTI AMP KH