Bhubaneswar, May 6: State government’s Sweekruti scheme for the promotion of transgender equality and justice is a milestone initiative for the welfare of the trans community, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons With Disabilities (SSEPD) department Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said Friday.
Addressing the inaugural event of regional consultation on the welfare of transgender organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, NITI Aayog and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) here, Panda highlighted the measures undertaken by the Odisha government to shield the trans community from discrimination as well as provide them with opportunities for employment and scholarships.
The regional consultation, which saw delegates, including representatives of civil society, from Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha and Andaman-Nicobar (UT), aims at sensitising the authorities about the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, national portal for transgender persons and the recently launched SMILE (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise).
Panda said the SSEPD department has covered those from the transgender community under various schemes like Madhubabu pension. Transgender protection cells have been operationalised in all the districts along with grievance redressal machinery in every department of the state government.
As many as 86 self-help groups of transgender persons are working in the state, while about 1,600 persons from the community have been issued certificates through the national portal. Infrastructure facilities for skill development of transgender persons are prioritised and they have been provided livelihood support through engagements in Swachh Abhiyan, collection of tax and parking fees, garbage disposal and micro composting activities.
