Goa's Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ramesh Tawadkar. (Image Courtesy: http://goaassembly.gov.in/)
The government in Goa will establish centres to treat LGBT youth and make them "normal", said a minister today.
Goa's Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, who is from the ruling BJP, said, "We will make them (LGBT youth) normal. We will have a centre for them. Like Alcoholic Anonymous centres, we will have centres. We will train them and give them medicines too".
The minister's declaration came as he released the government's policy on youth issues. The document lists LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender) community among stigmatised groups which need focused attention.
"As in the case of other target groups such as juvenile offenders, drug afflicted youth, marginalised or migrant youth, geographically disadvantaged youth, a detailed survey would be carried out of the LGBT community so that their problems could be specifically addressed," the minister said.