Bhopal:
Just months after the Supreme Court recognised transgenders as a third gender, the Madhya Pradesh Government formed a board which will not only maintain a database of transgenders in the state but also provide them with government jobs as per their educational qualifications.
While the Court orders came in April this year, the BJP led state government claims they have been thinking for a long time on how the transgenders can be connected to the mainstream society. The government will very soon be appointing people for this board who will be from the same community. Social Justice Minister Gopal Bhargava told NDTV," We think that the transgenders can work in many of our on-going awareness programs like on literacy, sanitation, health and even encourage woman to participate in panchayat meetings.
They can execute this work well as they are comfortable talking to both women and men. Also as we already have a budget for promoting these programs so salary for the transgenders will not be a problem there will be no need to keep a separate fund."
As per records, there are 2500 transgenders in Madhya Pradesh. Most of them make a living by singing and dancing at celebrations and their income is uncertain. Also, as they grow older, they become financially dependent on their students to support them. They have appreciated the state government's initiative but are not sure of its success.
38-year-old Neha told NDTV," It may not immediately benefit us but will certainly benefit the coming generations. Our gurus will not benefit so we will also not benefit from it. Being offered a government job is good but we cannot totally give up on our traditional work which is to bless people. The government's idea of recruiting us to campaign for their schemes does not seem like a good idea. As we are comfortable talking to women not men. We won't like working as salesmen."
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be holding a Panchayat for the transgender very soon and after that the recruitment is expected to start.