12 pilot shelter homes for transgender persons in 9 states: Govt

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has said that it has opened 12 pilot shelter homes known as 'Garima Greh': Shelter Home for Transgender Persons’.

The purpose of these shelter homes is to provide a safe and secure place of accommodation for such transgender populations who are in need of safe dwelling space.

States, where these shelter homes are situated, are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, A. Narayanaswamy informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on December 22.

“Ministry has provided full financial assistance to community-based organizations (CBOs) for setting up of these shelter homes which provide basic amenities like food, shelter, medical care, recreational facilities and also conduct capacity-building and skill development programmes for Transgender persons,” Narayanaswamy said.

He added, “During lockdown period in COVID pandemic a helpline was also set up to provide psychological support through trained Psychologists to Transgender Persons in distress during COVID period.”

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has started a scheme “SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”. There is a sub-scheme under which called ‘Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons’.

“The focus of the sub-scheme is on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities and intervention, counselling, education, skill development, economic linkages to the transgender persons. Skill development training for the Transgender beneficiaries is also being conducted through PM-DAKSH - A skill development scheme of the Ministry,” Narayanaswamy said.

He added, “The Ministry has launched National Portal for Transgender Persons on 25th November, 2020. Any Transgender applicant can obtain a Certificate of Identity and Identity Card without any physical interface with the office of issue. The person who has been issued a certificate of identity is entitled to change the first name in the birth certificate and all other official documents relating to the identity of such person.”