Do You Have Any Scheme To Look After Health Issues Of Transgender Community?: Gauhati High Court Asks Assam Govt

A Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak further directed the Central Health Ministry to come up with the list of beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, who are members of transgender community from Assam.

The direction was passed today while hearing a PIL filed by transgender activist Swati Bidhan Baruah, raising several issues faced by members of the said community in accessing health and medical facilities.

The PIL was filed in the year 2018, demanding inclusion of the transgender community as beneficiaries under Centre's Ayushmaan Bharat Scheme, which allows low-income families to subsidized avail health insurance.

She had pointed out that despite Supreme Court's clear directions in the case of National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India for providing the community with benefits of socially and economically backward class, the Government has failed to take appropriate steps.

After hearing the Petitioner in person today, the Bench directed the ASGI to furnish the list of beneficiaries within two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Standing counsel for the state, D. Borah has been asked to apprise the Court if the State Government has proposed any scheme which looks after the health issues of members of the transgender community.

The Bench further directed the State counsel to apprise the Court as to how soon a separate wing for the treatment of transgender community can be opened in Guwahati Medical College and Hospital.

The matter is fixed for hearing on April 7.

Case Title: Swati Bidhan Baruah v. State & Ors.

Case No.: PIL 74/2018