The government announced Other Backward Classes (OBC) status for transgenders in the House on Wednesday, paving the way for them to avail quota in government jobs and educational institutions.
"A letter to this effect had been issued by the chief secretary in July 2014," social welfare minister Manju Verma said in response to a question from JDU MLA Shyam Rajak. The government's step, she said, was in accordance with the Supreme Court's 2014 ruling that transgenders were entitled to all the fundamental rights, reservation in jobs and education, and separate public toilets.
The Supreme Court had on April 15, 2014, accorded legal recognition to transgenders, commonly known as hijras, as a "third gender" and asked the Centre to treat transgenders as socially and economically backward.
Ruling party MLA Rajak pointed out that despite the chief secretary's letter to all department heads, district magistrates and sub-divisional officers, orders were not being implemented and transgenders in Bihar were deprived of benefits of an OBC status.
Rajak wanted to know when the welfare board for transgenders would be made and asked the government to consider financial help for transgenders who wanted to undergo a sex change operation.
Minister Verma told the Assembly that the formation of a welfare board for transgenders was in process and agreed to consider the financial help proposal.
There are around 3,000 transgenders in Bihar and recently, few of them have been appointed as bank managers. On Tuesday, two groups of transgenders filed counter cases at Kotwali police station with one group claiming that the other had stopped them from applying for government jobs.
In the past, Patna Municipal Corporation have employed services of transgenders to recover holding tax from reluctant house owners, while most of them are engaged in their traditional business of dancing in marriages and other ceremonies.
But transgenders in Patna hailed the government's decision to grant them OBC status. "We were demanding for OBC status for the past 15 years. It would be highly beneficial in getting proper education and jobs," said Lalan Rajkumari Kinner in Patna City. "OBC status apart, we have been demanding other facilities such as houses, education and health. I hope the proposed welfare board will address these issues."