Have you ever seen a group of
hijras boarding the train? Have you imagined why they are forced to beg? We
think they are a bunch of lazy people but here is the truth -unavailability of
education for this group has led to their unemployment. Their lack of qualification
forces them into sex work and petty jobs. Most of them are victims of
domestic,verbal,physical and sexual abuse.
The government of India
declared transgender as a legal gender in April 2014. It also announced that
they should have equal rights.
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| Photo credits - Mahesh BalaSubramanian (Pinterest) |
Odisha government has been
the first to take positive steps towards improvement of socioeconomic status of
transgender group.
"The state government
has decided to accord BPL status to transgender persons and they will get all
benefits availed by the poor"-said Usha Devi;Woman and Child development
minister.
Identity documents like
Adhaar cards,voter cards,passports should be given to recognize them.Education
is the key to employment. So there ought to be seats in schools and colleges
allocated for third gender applicants.
"The government had a
consultation with transgender people in April, and they had raised their
problems and issues. On that basis, we are now taking many decisions to help
them - giving them the Below Poverty Line status is one of them." Niten
chandra -principal secretary of Odisha's department of social security
reported.
This BPL card will give them
free access to various beneficiary schemes like
1) Free housing
2)Hundred days of paid work annually
3)Loans to start up their own business
4)Five kilograms of grain monthly under the
National food security act.
But whether or not this
schemes will be boon to the transgenders is yet to be seen .
"We are thankful to the
government. This is a welcome step. At least now the government has started
recognising our problems," said Meera Parida, chairperson of All Odisha
Third Gender Welfare Trust.
"However, we will benefit only when such
a decision is implemented properly and does not remain just on pen and
paper."
Let us hope this initiative
taken by the Odisha government becomes effective. Being the first state in
India to give benefits to the third gender Odisha stands out to be one of the
most coolest state. Let all odias take pride.
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