Delhi to mandate ‘3rd gender’ option in welfare scheme forms: Min

Delhi’s Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh on Friday announced that the government would make it mandatory to include a ‘third gender’ option in the application forms of all welfare schemes.

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The announcement was made during a meeting with a transgender delegation to mark National Transgender Day.

The move aims to ensure that transgender individuals — especially those who are differently abled (divyang) — can access the full benefits of various government welfare initiatives.

The minister said the decision was being implemented under the directive of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

Speaking at the meeting, Singh said, “Our government is committed to ensuring that transgender persons live with dignity and become self-reliant. We are taking concrete steps to create awareness about their rights and available welfare schemes. A notification related to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules will be issued soon.”

The transgender delegation, which included members of various community organisations, welcomed the decision and celebrated the occasion by cutting a cake with the minister. They expressed their gratitude for the government’s proactive outreach, stating that it was the first time that they felt directly acknowledged and included in the policy-making process.

Those present included Arun Sharma from Lucky Hindustani Foundation, Deepchandra Deepak from Community Empowerment Trust, and community members Simran Arora, Rehana Yadav, Sanjana Simone, Saransh Pathak, Bhanu and Soumya Garg.

The minister assured the delegation that the government would continue to engage with the community to ensure better access to social welfare and employment opportunities.