News Kashmir Desk
Transgender humans have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from their sex assigned at birth.Some transgender people who desire medical assistance to transition from one sex to another identify as transsexual Transgender, often shortened as trans, is also an umbrella term. In addition to including people whose gender identity is the opposite of their assigned sex (trans men and trans women), it may include people who are not exclusively masculine or feminine (people who are non-binary or genderqueer, including bigender, pangender, genderfluid, or agender).Other definitions of transgender also include people who belong to a third gender, or else conceptualize transgender people as a third gender.
Transgender people in Jammu and Kashmir have faced much pain, woes and discrimination, and marred by huge risks of economic challenges.
In a big step taken towards the welfare and betterment of Transgender people in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory , The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu, accorded sanction to the extension of coverage of J&K Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) to transgenders, by including them as beneficiaries under the Scheme.
It is worth pointing that previously , the transgenders did not qualify for financial benefits under ISSS. However, with this decision of the Administrative Council, the transgenders will be able to benefit from ISSS. It is a social security scheme, under which monthly financial assistance of Rs.1000 is provided to destitute, old people, widows, divorcees, orphans and orthopedically challenged persons who either have a meagre income or no source of livelihood.
Masses, social and civil circles have welcomed the decision of Government of providing pension to Transgender in Jammu and Kashmir.
The common people on ground zero, along with many organization have welcomed the move. It has been cause of great worry that since ages the Transgender
has been subjected to “taunts, undue criticism ” and “discrimination”, which has been clear moral failure of society.
On the other hand,
While J&K Government took notice of the community’s plight in 2017 and laid an annual budget which included welfare measures for transgender people and categorised them as people below the poverty line but at that time no further headway was achieved . Now this decision is being viewed as great step ahead.
It is hoped that age old harsh treatment, prejudice being meted out against Transgender will also one day vanish in Kashmir, and they will be treated as equal humans.
