Transgender members stage protest outside Munde's cabin

Members of the transgender community today staged a protest outside the Mantralaya (state secretariat) office of women and child welfare minister Pankaja Munde for delay in setting up a welfare board.
The decision to set up the board was taken by the previous Congress-NCP government.
Laxmi, a transgender activist, who led the protest said decision to set up the transgender welfare board was taken more than three years ago.
"Despite following up on the demand with the present government, the board is not being set up. Funds allocated for setting up the board are with the women and child department.

"Are we neglected because we don't form a sizeable vote bank," Laxmi said while talking to reporters.
The setting up of the board was announced by former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan during a convention of transgenders in 2013.
The government was to conduct a survey to ascertain their population so that the transgenders could be offered job oriented programmes.