The Delhi social welfare department has given its assent to the formation of a transgender welfare board in response to a notice made by the National Human Rights Commission. It claimed that the plan is in the process of being published.
According to the department, the union ministry of home affairs has been asked to give the lieutenant governor jurisdiction under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 so that Transgender Rules and the transgender welfare board can be notified in Delhi.
As per the department's report, the chief secretary requested that autonomous entities, businesses, and local governments establish separate restroom facilities for transgender people last year. The report stated, "Agencies are reporting positive follow-up activity to this effect." It also stated that a policy for transgender people is being developed.
In September of last year, the human rights panel issued a notice to the social welfare department in response to a complaint about the department's failure to implement planned welfare measures for transgender people. Dr Aqsa Shaikh, an associate professor at Jamia Hamdard's Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, claimed that at a department meeting on February 12, 2021, it was proposed to issue an order for the formation of a transgender welfare board, but no action was taken.
“The process should be expedited for the welfare of the community,” Shaikh said.