Madhya Pradesh: Government Fails to Form Transgender Welfare Board Even After Three Years!

Bhopal- Despite the promising strides in transgender rights with the formulation of the Madhya Pradesh Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules 2020, the anticipated State Transgender Board is yet to be established even after three years. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy's proactive policy, designed to uplift the transgender community and counter discrimination, languishes in bureaucratic inertia. This stagnation casts a shadow on the government's commitment to implementing essential measures for the welfare of transgender individuals in the state.

The Madhya Pradesh Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules 2020, encompassed provisions addressing transgender rights, empowerment, education, and employment, along with clauses to counter discrimination. Despite the policy being handed over to the Madhya Pradesh Social Justice Department in 2020, and subsequently receiving cabinet approval in 2022, the establishment of the State Transgender Board has encountered significant delays.

As per the Madhya Pradesh Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules 2020, both district and state-level transgender boards were slated for formation. Rule (14) (1) outlined the composition of the district-level board, including the District Collector as Chairman, the Joint Director/Deputy Director of the Social Justice Department, eight administrative officers, a member secretary, and four transgender individuals, along with two transgender social workers.

Rule (14) (2) outlined the constitution of the State Transgenders/Bisexuals Board, comprising the Chairman, the Minister of the Social Justice and Disabled Welfare Department, the Principal Secretary/Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Government Secretary, 25 state-level officers, members/representatives of the Women's Commission, and five transgender individuals, alongside two transgender social worker members.

The Board's purpose is to uplift transgender individuals and address their challenges, enabling it to provide recommendations to the government on transgender-related schemes. Additionally, the Board possesses the authority to instruct the government to address issues such as identity card concerns and discrimination. However, despite the Cabinet's approval in 2021, the State Transgender Board has yet to be established.

Transgender activist Sanjana Singh expressed concerns over the government's apathy, highlighting the difficulties faced by transgender individuals in integrating into mainstream society. She noted that no government schemes aimed at ameliorating the social discrimination faced by the transgender community have materialized.

Sanjana further emphasized that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy had actively sought input before formulating the transgender protection policy, incorporating the challenges faced by the transgender community. Despite the policy's readiness and the anticipation of problem resolution through the establishment of the Board, three years have elapsed without tangible progress.

Estimates indicate that there are approximately 35 thousand transgender individuals in Madhya Pradesh, yet the State Election Commission's voter list for October 2023 only accounts for one thousand 373 third-gender voters. Many transgender individuals lack Aadhaar cards, further complicating their access to essential services.

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