A vision to the partially sighted; India's first smartphone project from Kerala

The 'Kazhcha' scheme of Kerala government is the first-ever project in India to develop smartphones for visually impaired persons with the advanced features of the e-speak facility in multiple languages. The State Disabled Welfare Corporation has aimed to provide 1000 phones to the needy and it has been approved by the Purchase Committee and the Technical Committee.

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): The 'Kazhcha' scheme under the initiative of the Kerala government is the first-ever project in India to develop smartphones for visually impaired persons.

However, the State Disabled Welfare Corporation aimed to provide the smartphones with advanced features to the visually-challenged people to bring them into the forefront of the society.

"The Social Justice Department has sanctioned Rs. 1.19 crore to the particular scheme," said KK Shailaja, Kerala's Health Minister.

"As much as 1000 phones of advanced technology are soon to be distributed among the special-need people, which has been approved by the Purchase Committee and the Technical Committee,' Shailaja added.

Shailaja further declared that the 'Kazhcha' scheme also provides laptops with exclusive software to those special-need people.

The Kerala Federation of the Blind delivers technical support to the scheme 'Kazhcha' to develop the smartphones which possess good quality, warranty and services.

To make it easier for its particular users, the gadgets are designed with Android OS along with the 4G and 3G networks.

Moreover, these phones are devised with the e-speak facility in multiple languages like Malayalam, English, Hindi and Tamil for online purchase, bill payment, banking, entertainment, academical purposes and also for reading books and news.