West Bengal govt plans to enroll transgenders in civic police volunteer force

West Bengal govt plans to enroll transgenders in civic police volunteer force

Posted on October 3, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

If things fall in line, members of transgender community would soon be seen donning the uniform as civic volunteers assisting the Kolkata Police in wide range of duties.

The West Bengal government has requested the Kolkata Police to recruit transgenders in the Civic Police Volunteer Force (CPVC) to end the “stigma” and “discrimination” against the community.

State minister for women and child development, Shashi Panja said she had spoken to the Kolkata Police commissioner suggesting the idea soon after it was brought up during a meeting of the West Bengal Transgender Development Board.

“The prime issue that we face is that people don’t have respect for the transgender community. But if they are incorporated as volunteers in the civic police force, then it will gradually allow people to imagine them in different roles,” she said.

The state women and child development and social welfare department has recommended that the Kolkata Police begin taking volunteers from the community and after the requisite training, indoctrinate them into the CPVC.

The state government had set up the Transgender Welfare Board in July 2014.

Transgender youth to be Eco Park guides

Posted on August 13, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

For transgender people and sex-workers’ children, finding employment and respectability have never been easy. There has been little hope for the marginalized people despite sustained campaigns and alterations in their legal status. In an effort to change the scene, the state-owned Hidco, along with an NGO, will appoint 15 transgender persons and sex workers’ kids to work as guides at Eco Park in Rajarhat. The new service, for which visitors will be able to choose and appoint guides online, will be inaugurated on August 15.

The 480-acre park will launch Eco Walk that aims at making “freedom more meaningful to the youth from marginalized background. These people are refused jobs for no fault of theirs. But they could be trained to work in sectors like tourism, like in south-east Asian countries. The fact that a government agency has taken the initiative to employ them will go a long way in turning things around. Every visitor will have to pay Rs 500 for the two-hour walk. HIDCO is aiming at NRIs and foreign visitors, though the facility will be available to all. They will get deserve equal opportunities. By appointing them, the authorities hope to make a beginning for them.

The West Bengal Government has taken special initiatives to upgrade status of the highly marginalised and vulnerable transgenders who are lagging behind on human development indices mainly in the areas of education and employment.

The first meeting of the West Bengal Transgender Development Board (WBTDB), set up by the state government was held at Nabanna, the State Secretariat ion July. Constituted through a resolution of the cabinet, the Board comprised of four official and nine non-official members, who were present in the meeting to discuss among other things, rehabilitation and welfare of the transgender community.

Recently Prof Manabi Bandyopadhyay took charge of the Krishnanagar Women’s College, becoming the country’s first transgender principal of the country.

Follow Bengal model for social justice: Derek in RS

Posted on May 5, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Initiating a discussion on the working of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the Rajya Sabha today, Leader of the party in the House, Derek O’Brien cited several instances where Bengal has achieved milestones in social justice and empowerment. Derek urged the government to move away from the mentality of distributing scholarships and opening hostels and urged them to double the budget of the ministry.

Slamming the government for not utilising even a penny of the budget for the liberation of the manual scavengers, Derek cited the example of Nadia becoming the No. 1 district in India in the construction of toilets. He also highlighted that West Bengal has constituted a Transgender Development Board.

Derek called for a grey revolution for the welfare of senior citizens. He asked the government to take a fresh look at the National Policy for Senior Citizens, 2011 and bring a Bill aimed at their welfare.

Regarding the development of scheduled castes, Derek highlighted the Sikkhashree scheme by West Bengal government wherein SC students receive scholarships for studies. He also took pride in the fact that 56% of the land pattas distributed by West Bengal government went to scheduled castes.

Derek O’Brien also included minorities and women in the scope of today’s discussion for empowerment and social justice. He highlighted that Trinamool Congress has 36% women MPs in Lok Sabha even when there is a debate going on over 33% reservation. He announced in the Rajya Sabha that 46% councillors in Kolkata Municipal Corporation are women.

Click here for the full transcript

WB CM hails Right of Transgender Persons Bill passed in RS

Posted on April 24, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

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.

West Bengal Govt forms India’s first Transgender Development Board

Posted on March 19, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Dr Sashi Panja, Minister-In-Charge for Women and Child Development, Government of West Bengal addressed a Press Conference at Nabanna and announced the State Cabinet has passed the constitution of the Transgender Development Board, the first such Board in the country.

While addressing the Press Conference the Minister said that the constitution of the Board was done on the initiative of the West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee who is very much concerned for this section of the people. The transgender community are often seen to be deprived of education, employment and health related issues.

“They are reduced to begging on the streets and face other forms socio-economic discrimination,” said the Minister.

She said that the representatives of the transgender community have been meeting the Chief Minister on this issue.

To address these problems the Chief Minister came up with an idea to constitute a Board for Transgender Development. 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 State Cabinet has passed this very important decision and has given a green signal to set up this Development Board, which is the first of its kind in the country.