Effective Implementation of Schemes to Ensure Equal Treatment for Transgender Persons – Minister of State for Social Justice Madhuri Misal

Mumbai, Sept 2025 :To bring transgender persons into the mainstream, schemes must be effectively implemented to provide equal opportunities in education, healthcare, and employment. Measures should also be taken to ensure access to free and higher education for them, directed Minister of State for Social Justice Madhuri Misal. So far, 4,783 identity cards have been issued to transgender individuals, and the remaining cards will be issued soon, she added.

A review meeting was held at Mantralaya regarding the holistic development of transgender persons. Discussions included framing new schemes, reviewing existing policies, establishing a dedicated cell, issuing identity cards, providing skill development training, and forming divisional and district-level committees. Officials from the Health, Medical Education, Higher and Technical Education, and Revenue Departments, along with representatives of the Transgender Protection and Welfare Corporation, were present.

Minister Misal emphasized that transgender persons deserve equal treatment in society, including equal rights to healthcare, higher education, and professional opportunities. She instructed that all schemes should reach eligible beneficiaries and that government application forms, including for education and recruitment, must include “transgender” as a gender option. To ensure effective implementation of schemes, she suggested appointing nodal officers and establishing district-level grievance committees and a state-level transgender protection cell with dedicated officers for coordination. A district-wise survey through third-party agencies should be conducted on priority, she added.

The minister further stated that legal measures should be taken to strengthen the effective implementation of transgender-related policies. Currently, 68 transgender students are pursuing higher education, and efforts should be made to encourage more transgender individuals to continue their studies. She proposed awareness programs to help them benefit from foreign scholarships in the future. Misal also directed the establishment of divisional offices across the state, including Mumbai, to speed up employment and training-related schemes.

So far, 3,901 Aadhaar cards and 1,240 Ayushman Bharat health cards have been issued to transgender persons, with the remaining cards to be distributed shortly. To improve medical support, the Medical Board has been instructed to provide counseling on health-related issues. Special schemes should also be designed to ensure better healthcare services and overall social upliftment of transgender individuals, the minister added.