Transgender welfare board, approved a year ago, remains on paper

It has been more than a year that the state under the then Congress-NCP government had approved formation of a transgender welfare board to undertake programmes for the survey of the transgender population and take up employment and welfare schemes for the community. But the community has alleged that after the state government changed last year, on ground the state ministry for women and child development under Pankaja Munde has not transferred a single penny for the establishment and functioning of the transgender welfare board.

“The fight for having a state welfare board is an ongoing process and after the new government was formed last year with Pankaja Munde from the BJP was given charge of the women welfare and child development, several discussions with her were very positive about giving equal rights to the transgender community and in a meeting five months ago she had promised that the funds will be transferred for the welfare board.

But after that there have been only assurances and nothing has turned into reality. We are not given appointments even to meet Ms Munde and somehow I feel this new government is not interested in empowering the transgenders,” said Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, transgender activist and member of the state committee formed to study issues of transgenders.

The Asian Age on October 28, had reported that how a transgender person had to vacate her rented apartment in Santa Cruz (east) because the society and the landlord felt that a transgender should not live in their society.

However, Maharashtra is the second state after Tamil Nadu to announce the formation of welfare board for the transgender community.

The Supreme Court (SC), in its judgment date April 15, 2014, had directed Centre and the state governments to take steps to treat transgender persons as socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and extend all kinds of reservation in cases of admission in educational institutions and for public appointments.

Meanwhile, Pankaja Munde, minister for women welfare and development, said, “We are very positive and sensitive about the issues of the transgender community and also have had several meetings with the members of transgender community. However, there is primary demand of `5 crore for the welfare board and which will be granted soon.”