Cover families of transgenders under CM's support scheme: Court
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 22 2021:
A Division Bench of the High Court of Manipur yesterday issued an interim direction to authorities concerned to ensure that the applications made on behalf of households wherein transgenders are either main bread-earners are also permitted to come within the coverage of "Chief Minister COVID-19 Affected Livelihood Support Scheme".
The interim direction was given by the Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Lanusukum Jamir in connection with a PIL filed by Thangjam Santa Singh @ Santa Khurai as petitioner against State of Manipur represented by Chief Secretary and seven others.
The PIL was filed to raise four issues associated with the management of COVID-19 pandemic including right to education for children in Government and Government aided schools; priority given to vaccinated persons for opening of shops and distribution of food grains; extra legal punishment and penalties by police for violation of Covid guidelines and for coverage of transgenders and their families who have been among most affected sections by the pandemic under Chief Minister COVID-19 Affected Livelihood Support Scheme.
During yesterday's hearing, the Director of Social Welfare Department filed an affidavit-in-opposition stating that notification regarding about the scheme and eligibility for availing the scheme issued on July 13 was modified and household wherein the main bread-earner is a transgender is also made eligible for the benefits of the scheme.
Similarly, households wherein a member of the family was a transgender but not the main bread-earner were also eligible to avail the benefits of the scheme in the name of the household, the affidavit said.
The Court however observed that the last date stipulated in the July 13 Notification (August 7), was not extended to enable these eligible persons to put in their applications for appropriate benefits.
Accordingly, the Court gave an interim direction to the authorities to ensure that the applications made on behalf of households wherein transgenders are either main bread-earners or family members are also permitted to come within the coverage of the scheme, even if they were submitted after August 7 this year.