The recent declaration made by Hemant Soren, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, to incorporate the transgender community into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category has garnered a mixed response. While some have welcomed this decision, including Sonal Tiwari, an advocate and advocate for transgender rights, others have criticized it as discriminatory.
Tiwari contends that the inclusion of transgender individuals in the OBC category should have been grounded in thorough research and data analysis. The activist asserts that the majority of transgender people in Jharkhand also fall under the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories, and classifying them as OBC could potentially deprive them of the benefits meant for SC/ST communities. The state capital, Ranchi, Tiwari stated, “This is a positive step by the state government, but it should have been executed with careful consideration and data backing, as it seems somewhat discriminatory. A significant portion of transgender individuals hails from the West and East Singhbhum regions, and they already belong to other categories like SC and ST. Consequently, they may not receive the intended benefits.”
Tiwari further emphasized that the formation of a Transgender Welfare Board is essential to enable transgender individuals to access reservations and other benefits. The activist stressed, “Until a Transgender Welfare Board is established, transgender individuals will continue to face obstacles in obtaining reservations or other privileges. It is imperative to establish a department or board responsible for determining the specific jobs for which the government should provide reservations to transgender individuals.”
In an effort to enhance opportunities and benefits for the transgender community, the Jharkhand government, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, recently made the decision to include transgender individuals in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. According to Jharkhand Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel, “Regarding the proposal for the inclusion of transgender individuals in the OBC category, they will now be officially recognized as the third gender.” He further stated, “Transgender individuals who were not previously covered by any reservation category will now be placed at serial number 46 on the OBC list.”
Additionally, as part of another proposal under the CM State Social Security Pension Scheme, transgender individuals are set to receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1000, as disclosed by Jharkhand Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel.
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