Just months after the Supreme Court recognised transgender 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 media persons," 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."
Appreciating the State Government's initiative and with a feeling of the failure of the scheme, Simran, a transgender while talking to The Pioneer said, " 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.”