On November 25, 2020, Union Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) has e-launched a “National Portal for Transgender Persons” and e-inaugurated a “Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender Persons” in Vadodara, Gujarat.
About National Portal for Transgender Persons:
The National Portal for Transgender Persons has been launched on the lines of Notification of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 released on September, 29 2020 to provide pan India online applying facility of a Certificate and Identity card (I-Card) to transgender persons without visiting office or any physical interface.
- They will get their I-cards without any necessary delays and can also monitor the application process through this portal.
- Notably, I-Card as per their self-perceived identity is an important provision of The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
About Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender Persons
Garima Greh is launched by MoSJE and will be run in association with Lakshya Trust, a Community based organisation entirely run by the Transgenders to provide shelter to Transgender persons, with basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and recreational facilities.
- It will also provide support for their skill development.
Point to be noted:
MoSJE is a nodal ministry for improving the conditions of Transgender persons and has identified 10 cities to set up the 13 Shelter Homes on pilot basis, in association with selected 13 Community based organizations (CBO’s on pilot basis. The cities include Vadodara, New Delhi, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Kolkata, Manipur, Chennai, Raipur, Mumbai, etc.
- Under this there will be rehabilitation of minimum of 25 transgender persons in each homes identified by the Ministry.
About Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019:
It came into effect on January 10, 2020 to ensure welfare of Transgender persons and to make them a part of mainstream of the Society. In this regard, MoSJE issued the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 for the implementation of the provisions of act.
Other Participants: Ministers of State (MoS) for MoSJE Krishan Pal Gurjar, Ramdas Athawale, Rattan Lal Kataria; Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, Member, National Council for Transgenders and R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, MoSJE.
Recent Related News:
i.On August 21, 2020, Central Government constituted the India’s first 30-member National Council for Transgender Persons to advice, monitor and evaluate measures for the protection of the rights of Transgender community.
ii.On September 7, 2020 Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment launched the 24×7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline “KIRAN” (1800-500-0019). The Helpline has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), MoSJE.
