Mumbai : Accepting demand of transgender community, state government has decided to set up transgender’ Rights Protection and Welfare Board for the welfare of transgender community as well as to bring them into the main stream of the society. This was announced in the budget presented in the state legislature.
State government proposed an outlay of Rs. 5 Cr. for this board for the year 2020-21. The board may give identity cards to members of the community which will help them to obtain education and for other purpose.
They may get scholarships for various exams. Welcoming this decision, well known transgender activist Gauri Sawant said that special initiative of NCP MP Supriya Sule helped us to get this board. "
Sule called us for a meeting two months before. We transgenders explained the need of a board for us. Social Development minister Dhananjay Munde was also present in the meeting," she said.
" The board should not be only limited to males who converted into transgenders but it should also include Women who converted as transgender," she insisted.
There are more than five lakh transgenders. Since most of them ran away from their home, they do not have any proof of residence. Therefore not more than 2500 voters are registered in the state, said Sawant who was also Ambassador of Election Commission.
