Cuttack: In remarkable step towards mainstreaming the transgender community in the local governance, the Odisha Government has given the responsibility of operations and maintenance of a major water treatment plant (WTP) to a self-help group run by transgenders in Cuttack.
As per reports, members of Bahuchara Mata Transgender SHG will now take care of the Pratapnagari WTP of the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) in Cuttack.
The decision of WATCO will go a long way in empowering the transgender community and give a positive message to the society.
The Bahuchara Mata Transgender SHG, which has recently bagged the ‘ISC – FICCI Sanitation Award 2021′ for its outstanding work in faecal sludge management in Cuttack, will look after the operations and maintenance of the 8 MLD water treatment plant of WATCO.
As many as 31 members of the SHG have been imparted proper training on leadership as well as technical aspects of operation and maintenance of the plant including the intake well, according to reports.
The Housing and Urban Development Department will continue to engage more people from vulnerable sections in such activities in future, said department secretary G Mathi Vathanan.
In 2016, Odisha had become the first state in India to include the transgender community in the category of below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries.
In June last year, the Odisha Police Recruitment Board had opened the posts of constables and sub-inspectors in Odisha police to people from the transgender community.
Recently, the Odisha Government has framed a new policy to end discrimination and provide equal opportunities to the transgender community in the State.