Recognise each transgender as an independent and separate household and include them as beneficiaries in all social security schemes, keep reservation for them in jobs, provide them skill development and loans for private business, homestead land and house in the cities. These were some of the demands made during a consultation meeting.

Delhi-based NGO Center for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) organised the meeting in collaboration with SAKHA and Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS) here on November 30 where about 50 community people and transgender persons participated from different slums of the city.

In the first session issues of slum dwellers were discussed while the second session focused on the issues of transgender.

“Since many households do not have voter cards and Aaddar cards, they are deprived of availing benefits under social security schemes. While many households do not have toilets, Bhubaneswar has been declared as Open Defection Free (ODF) city,” said Rosalin Pattnaik of CFAR, adding that the Samaveshi Sheher project is being run by CFAR in Kargil Basti, Palaspali and Kela Sahi in the city supported by IGSSS. The project targets 2024 beneficiaries out of the 1,777 families.

Meera Parida of SAKHA said, “Most of the time, the transgender are ill-treated, misbehaved by others in the society. In most of the cities, gaps are visible in linkages between the department and TG community, Government employees have been found rude and unwilling to receive applications from the TG. Besides, majority of the TGs have no information on the various schemes meant for them, haves no understanding on the digitization process to access the schemes etc.”

Focus group discussion was also organised taking the transgendercoming from Kolkata and Chhatisgarh and Odisha.