Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

Social Justice Ministry Launches SMILE for Transgenders And Beggars

The government has allocated ₹365 crore for the SMILE scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
February 12, 2022
A street beggar gets into the car Calcutta Kolkata India. Photo Credit- Wikimedia Commons

The ministry of social justice and empowerment will launch the grassroots programme, SMILE, i.e. Assistance to Marginal People for Livelihood and Enterprise, today at the Bhim Auditorium of the Dr Ambedkar International Center, 15, Janpath Road, New Delhi. The programme will be launched by the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministers of State (SJ&E) will also be present on the occasion.

This umbrella programme was created to provide wellness measures to the transgender community and those involved in the act of begging. It includes two sub-schemes – Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for the Welfare of Transgender People and Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Persons Devoted to Begging.

Also Read- Social Justice Ministry Working For Transgender People With SMILE

The programme strengthens and expands access to rights that promise the target group the necessary legal protection and secure life. It takes into account the necessary social security in multiple dimensions of identity, health care, education, employment opportunities and housing.

The government has allocated ₹365 crore for the scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

As part of the comprehensive outreach to bring children into the fold of education, financial assistance will be provided under the scheme to TG students studying in class IX and up to post-graduation level to enable them to complete their education. A sum of ₹13,500 as a post-matric/pre-matric scholarship to eligible transgender students who are full-time students studying in a government school or one recognised by the central/state board of secondary education. Under the scheme, youth and adults will be linked to skill training and employment opportunities including placement.

The ministry launched National Portal for Transgender Persons on November 25, 2020. Any transgender applicant can obtain a certificate of identity and identity card without any physical interface with the office of issue. The person who has been issued a certificate of identity is entitled to change the first name in the birth certificate and all other official documents relating to the identity.