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Odisha becomes first state to give social welfare benefits to transgender community

By
AC Team 1
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Odisha State Government has initiated to provide the social welfare benefits to Transgender who are belongs to most deprived.

  • Pensionodisha-transgender-1
  • Housing
  • Food Grains

Delegates: Niten Chandra, Principal Secretary of Department of Social Security

Aim: To improve their overall social and economic status

Points delivered by Principal Secretary:

  • Transgender do not get employment easily due to Social Exclusion
  • The State had discussed with transgender and they raised their issues. Based on the inputs, the Government initiated to help them and providing them the Below Poverty line status

Difficulties facing by Transgender:

  • Activists stated that there are n number of transgender people in India facing ostracism and discrimination in the form or verbal, Physical and Sexual abuse
  • Lack of access to education and employment opportunities has meant to involve in Sex work or moving around in organised groups, begging or demanding money

Judgement in April 2014:

  • Supreme Court recognised transgender as a legal third gender and treat with equal treatment.
  • Identified the community as a marginalized group and directed authorities to implement policies to improve their socio-economic status.

Initiatives:

  • Government ensure to recognize the third gender in the identity documents such as birth certificates, driving licenses and passports
  • Certain number of public sector jobs, seats in schools and colleges must be allocated to third-gender applicants
  • Transgender community people will be provided with Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards to access benefits under various government welfare programmes

Schemes:

  • Free housing, 100 days of paid work annually, Pensions and Loans to start up their own businesses
  • They would also be entitled 5 kg of food grains every month under India’s National Food Security Act.

Response of Transgender Community:

  • Welcomed Odisha’s new policy and called for its effective implementation
  • Meera Parida, chairperson of All Odisha Third Gender Welfare Trust thanked the Government for recognition of the issues and problems