April 24, 2015
WB CM hails Right of Transgender Persons Bill passed in RS
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today tweeted in favour of the historic The Right of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014 passed in Rajya Sabha.
This is the first Private Members’ Bill to be passed in 46 years. “The Bill calls for setting up of commissions at state and central level. Bengal has already set up a Transgender Development Board,” she said in a tweet.
“Tamil Nadu & Bengal have always taken the lead in transgender welfare. Educational institutions in Bengal have also recognized third gender. More power and independence to transgender community. Happy that Bengal pioneered the concept of Transgender Welfare Board on 18 March, 2015” she added.
Bengal’s Transgender Development Board
West Bengal government set up India’s first Transgender Development Board on the initiative of the West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee who is very much concerned for this section of the people.
The Board will have 12 persons, to be headed by a Chairperson. This Board will represent various transgender communities in the state and coordinate with the State’s Coordination Committee, which will be headed by the Minister of Women and Child Development.
The Board will distribute Identification Cards to the members of the transgender community, taking care of education, health and employment related issues. They will uphold all Rights as Citizens of India for their people and take care of the population census too.
