Odisha brings policy to ensure equal opportunity to transgenders

In June this year, Odisha police allowed transgenders to apply for the post of sub-inspectors while revenue and disaster management department opened its doors to transgenders for the post of revenue inspectors

Published on: Oct 6, 2021, 09:51:35 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The Odisha government has issued an equal opportunity policy for transgenders which will result in the appointment of a complaint officer for redressal of their grievances within 15 days of lodging a complaint.

Odisha’s new policy would strive to ensure that no opportunity is denied to transgenders merely on ground of sexual orientation (REUTERS File Photo)

The police issued by department of social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities, the nodal department for transgenders in the state, also mandates the head of department to act on the enquiry report submitted by the complaint officer within 15 days of its submission.

“The policy would strive to ensure that no opportunity is denied to transgender persons merely on ground of sexual orientation. Transgender persons would not be discriminated in terms of any position, training, promotion, transfer posting level. Any employee who violates the policy, or in any manner discriminates with any transgender persons, or harasses them would be dealt with as prescribed in the service rules,” a senior government official said, adding that department will provide equal employment opportunities without any discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, sexual orientation, colour, disability, marital status, nationality, race and religion.

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In June this year, Odisha police allowed transgenders to apply for the post of sub-inspectors while revenue and disaster management department opened its doors to transgenders for the post of revenue inspectors. So far 26 transgender persons have applied for the post of sub-inspector in Odisha police while around 20 applied for the post of revenue inspector. Around 40 transgenders are working in urban development department in the state.

According to the Socio Economic and Caste Census (2011) in Odisha, there are 4,316 transgender households in rural areas and 463 transgender persons in urban areas. However, their present numbers would be much higher as they now have the courage to express their transgender identity with the Supreme Court of India granting legal recognition to a person‘s self-identified gender as either male, female or the third gender.

Leading transgender activist Meera Parida said the equal opportunity policy was a welcome step in mainstreaming the transgenders. “For long we have been marginalised. Around 14.5% of the respondents in a statewide online Transgender Survey conducted by a government department in 2017 found that transgenders have no income and were living in poverty. We hope the Odisha would reserve 1% of government jobs for transgenders like Karnataka has done,” said Parida.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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