• The ministry of social justice and empowerment said it is formulating a scheme for the welfare of the transgender persons, wherein setting up of shelter homes — Garima Greh — for destitute and needy transgender persons is included as one of the components.

• In a written response in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A. Narayanswamy said the ministry has initiated 12 pilot shelter homes and provided financial assistance to community based organisations for setting up of ‘Garima Greh’.

• These pilot shelter homes are in Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

• The main aim of these shelter homes is to provide safe and secure shelter to transgender persons in need. 

• These shelter homes would provide basic amenities like food, medical care, recreational facilities and also conduct capacity-building/skill development programmes for transgender persons.

• The ministry of social justice and empowerment is not implementing any pension scheme. However, the ministry of rural development implements the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), in which 3,384 transgender persons are being provided monthly pension.

• In order to support those transgender persons who lost their livelihoods during the pandemic, financial assistance of Rs 1,500 was provided through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). As many as 6,940 persons were supported in 2020 and 5,938 persons in 2021.

• The ministry has launched National Portal for Transgender Persons (NPTP) on November 25, 2020 through which any transgender applicant can obtain a certificate of identity and identity card without any physical interface with the office of issue. So far, certificates of identity and ID cards have been issued to 1,804 transgender applicants.

Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019

• The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, came into effect on January 10, 2020.

• As envisaged under section 22 of the Act, the ministry has notified Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 on September 25, 2020. 

• The Rules, inter-alia, provides for recognition of identity of transgender persons, right to self perceived gender identity, non-discrimination against a transgender person, right of residence with parents and immediate family members.

• The Rules ensure that comprehensive welfare measures reach the transgender community and help them come into the mainstream of the society.

• The right to self-perceived gender identity and the procedure to issue the transgender certificate and identity card has been defined in the Rules.

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