Srinagar (J&K): Transgenders in Kashmir have half-heartedly welcomed the government's move to form a welfare board for the community. On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration formed a welfare board for transgenders to help the community access government schemes and welfare measures.
"We welcome the decision of the administration. We have been fighting for the board since 2011. This will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the community," Dr Aijaz Ahmed Band, who runs the Sonzal Welfare Trust, an NGO for the welfare of transgenders, told ETV Bharat. Although Aijaz was happy with the formation of the board, he was disappointed that none of the key Kashmiri transgender leaders were on the board.
"The board members do not include any of the transgender leaders from Kashmir. Those appointed are from an NGO and their work is not very impressive. We want our senior members to be added to this board," he added. Aijaz said that the government needed to take steps at two levels for the welfare of the transgender community.
"The first is what we do at the grassroots level where we try to change the thinking and the second is at the policy level. The steps taken by the government are at the policy level. We need to work at both levels. Only then will society be able to better embrace this class," Aijaz said. According to the 2011 census, the total population of transgenders in Jammu and Kashmir was 4,137.
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The members of this community are facing difficulties day in and day out. Bablu, a 52-year-old transgender from Srinagar's Dalgate area whose birth name was Muhammad Aslam, shared the same views. "We welcome the administration's announcement, but there should have been someone from Kashmir on the board as well. Before announcing the board, the administration should have consulted us. We would nominate our own leader from here. We have nothing to do with politics, we only think about the welfare of our community," Bablu said.
"90% of the population in Kashmir likes us and invites us to join them in their joys. We ignore the other 10%," the transgender said. Outlining the difficulties faced by the community, Bablu said the community members had limited employment opportunities and that the government needed to address the same.
"We face a number of difficulties. Marriage work is now reduced...The administration should think of the elders in our community. During the previous PDP government, it was announced that old age pensions would be provided to the elderly transgenders, but nothing happened. To date, we have not received any assistance from the government," Bablu said.
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"The rights of transgenders should be fulfilled like any other gender. Electricity and water fees should be waived and housing should be provided for our community members from rural areas. The administration can do all this with information and verification at the local level," Bablu said.
The chairman of the board, according to the official government order, will be the chief secretary while the administrative secretaries of home, finance, health, medical education, school education, social welfare and law and justice, and parliamentary affairs departments will be its members. The Director of Social Welfare, Jammu and Kashmir will also be a member of the board.
