A residential rehabilitation and skill training centre for transgender persons at Khagaul in the state capital is set to start functioning on June 15.
Dostana Safar, a local NGO, which has been working for transgenders for a long time, will be running the centre, which has been named Garima Griha.
There are 2,200 identified transgenders in Patna and over 40,000 across the state, as per the 2011 Census.
Dostana Safar convener Reshma said, “There will be 17 rooms for the inmates, besides an office, training centre, kitchen, medical treatment and recreation facility in the building. It will start functioning from June 15.”
The inmates will get food, lodging and medical facilities for free. “There will be various kinds of skill development training. Besides, those who want to study can also join online courses in various universities. The Dostana Safar has approached many Universities to start online courses for these people,” she said.
Garima Griha is an initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to create short-stay homes for transgender people to improve their economic and social status under the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
Altogether, 13 such homes have been planned to be set up in 10 cities across the country, including Patna.
At Garima Griha, transgender people can learn and develop various skills to become economically independent. “Many among them have been demanding this kind of facility for long. They no longer want to be in their traditional vocation or seeking alms. Instead, many among them now want to take up some respectful jobs,” Reshma said.
Traditionally, transgender persons have been into begging and sex trade, or have been doing shows on weddings and birth of children, she said.
“Though many transgender persons like doing their traditional jobs, a few of them do not like the way they are treated by the general category people,” she said.
Giriraj Ranga Samy, deputy director of the National Institute of Social Defence, a part of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, said Garima Griha for transgender persons will be set up in 10 cities. “Transgenders can stay here and get skill development training for six months. If needed, they may stay here for one year and try for placement,” he said.
