Staff Reporter / NEW DELHI
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA has invited inputs from stakeholders and the public at large to ensure that policies and initiatives regarding the LGBTQI+ community are inclusive and effective. A host of measures have been taken by the government regarding the community. On 16th April this year, the Center constituted a committee with the Cabinet Secretary as the chairperson to examine and submit recommendations on the measures to be taken by central and state governments to safeguard the interests of the queer community.
The government has already taken interim action in this regard. The Department of Food and Public Distribution has issued an advisory to all the states and UTs, enabling partners in a queer relationship to be treated as a part of the same household for the purposes of ration cards. The Department of Financial Services has issued an advisory that there are no restrictions for persons of the queer community to open a joint bank account. The Health Ministry has issued letters to all stakeholders, including all states and UTs, to take measures to ensure the rights of the LGBTQI+ community regarding healthcare, planning awareness activities, prohibition of conversion therapy, and availability of sex reassignment surgery.
Accordingly, Government of India has already taken following interim action:
- Department of Food and Public Distribution (D/oF&PD) has issued an advisory to all the States and UTs, that as per existing provisions, enabling partners in a queer relationship are to be treated as a part of the same household for the purposes of ration card. Further, States/UTs have been asked to take necessary measures to ensure that partners in queer relationship are not subject to any discrimination in the issuance of ration cards.
- Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued an advisory that there are no restrictions for persons of the queer community to open a joint bank account and also to nominate a person in queer relationship as a nominee to receive the balance in the account, in the event of death of the account holder.
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued letters to all stakeholders including all States/UTs to take measures to ensure the rights of LGBTQI+ community with relation to healthcare, planning awareness activities, prohibition of conversion therapy, availability of sex reassignment surgery, changes in curricula, provision of Tele consultation, sensitization and training various levels of staff and making of provision to claim the body when near relative/next of kin/family is not available.
- The Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also issued letter to the State Health Departments and other stakeholders on the subject of ensuring the health care access and reducing discrimination towards LGBTQI+ community.
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has framed guidelines in respect of medical intervention required in infants/ children with disorders of sexual differentiation (intersex) to have medically normal life without complications. The Ministry is working on guidelines to address the issues pertaining to mental health/well-being of queer community.
The DoSJE has invited public to share their suggestions and feedback for further measures to be taken regarding queer communities. Suggestions/inputs are to be sent to the following email addresses: abhishek-upsc[at]gov[dot]in and mayank.b[at]gov[dot]in