In what may be a significant step towards bringing the transgender community into the mainstream, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016, whic
In what may be a significant step towards bringing the transgender community into the mainstream, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016, which enables setting up of a mechanism for the social, economic and educational empowerment of the community.
Also with its eyes firmly on the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Centre also cleared the establishment of a new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Gorakhpur under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
The cost of the project for establishment of the new AIIMS in Gorakhpur shall be Rs 1,011 crore, official sources said.
The new Transgender Bill cleared by the Cabinet will make all the stakeholders responsive and accountable for upholding its underlying principles, official sources said. It will bring greater accountability on the part of the Central government and state governments for issues concerning transgender persons.
The government’s move comes a year after the Rajya Sabha in April 2015 passed a private member bill titled “The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014’.
That bill, which had been moved by DMK’s Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva, guaranteed reservation in education and jobs, financial aid and social inclusion to the transgender community. It was for the first time in 45 years that a private members’ bill was passed by the upper house.
However, during the Budget Session earlier in 2016, social justice minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot had said in Lok Sabha that the government was preparing to bring its own bill on transgender persons’ rights as the private member bill had many rough edges which needed ironing out.
The Bill, approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday, will benefit a large number of transgender persons, mitigate the stigma, discrimination and abuse against this marginalised section and bring them into the mainstream of society. It will lead to greater inclusiveness and will make the transgender persons productive members of the society, official sources said.
Meanwhile, the new AIIMS proposed for Gorakhpur will have a capacity of 750 beds. In addition, there will be an administration block, AYUSH block, auditorium, night shelter, hostels and residential facilities.
The establishment of the new AIIMS will serve the dual purpose of providing super speciality healthcare to the population while creating a large pool of doctors and other health workers in this region.
