JK govt sets up panel for transgenders' welfare policies

Jammu and Kashmir government has setup a committee to monitor and examine the formulation of various welfare policies on transgenders in the state, a senior official said today.
The committee would be headed by the chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and secretary to social welfare department will be convener of the committee, M A Bukhari, Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD) said.
He said the committee will work to frame policy to help the transgenders lead a decent life and enable their mainstreaming into the society and to suggest adequate measures to be put in place for them.
The committee has been mandated to take decisions for conducting survey of transgenders in the state through designated agencies and district administration, he said.

Besides, mainstreaming of transgenders within the general education system and inclusion of contents on them in the curriculum of adolescent education in schools to sensitise children would also be included in the committee's work.
The committee will be framing policies on registration and admission of transgenders in the hospitals besides training and sensitization of people, improving access of gender transition related services for them.

It will also initiate welfare programmes for the upliftment of the community and framing of schemes for providing stipend and scholarship to transgender children pursuing studies at school and college level including professional and vocational courses, he said.

The committee will also be providing equal opportunities for productive and gainful employment and self employment of the transgender community, Bukhari said.
He said it will also suggest measures to sensitise legal and law enforcement systems on issues of transgender community and to empower them to take actions.