Nearly a-month-and-a-half ago, the Delhi Police decided to rope in transgenders for skill development under the YUVA scheme. However, the initiative is yet to take off due to apprehensions among people belonging to the community, the police said.
The YUVA scheme, a skill development programme under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), was launched in 2017.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Devesh Srivastava said the idea was conceived after transgenders were seen soliciting near Aurobindo Marg. Though the idea is to rope in transgenders from across the Capital, the initiative has begun from the south district.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Vijayanta Arya, who is supervising the programme, said all groups of transgenders, including those involved in sex work and the ones who visit homes on auspicious occasions, have been asked to join the skill development programme. They will be given employment opportunities after undertaking the programme.
However, the biggest challenge is to get them to agree, she said. The ones approached were apprehensive about “being accepted in an organised corporate environment”, the police said.
Ms. Arya said she has held two rounds of talks with transgenders but they still have “inhibitions”.
“In the first round, they were not very open to the idea. They feared that they might lose what they have now. They asked us what will they do if they leave their current jobs. We told them we had proposed the idea so that they have an alternative means of livelihood — something they will feel good about,” the officer said.
In the second round of talks, the police involved senior members from the community to reach out to the younger ones.
“We asked them to make the younger ones understand and spread the message,” Ms. Arya said.
No Breakthrough
While there has been no breakthrough so far, the police are expecting one in the next round of talks, which are likely to take place this week.
“Even if we manage a batch of five, we will be happy because it will send a message that there are opportunities for them [the transgenders] and they are equally entitled as anyone else to come forward, and fight and grab these opportunities,” she said.
‘Extremely receptive’
Before conceiving the skill development programme, the police approached the training partners under the YUVA scheme regarding employment opportunities. The officer said the training partners were “extremely receptive”.
Ms. Arya stated that the partners got in touch with corporates, who agreed to offer jobs like telemarketing and front desk opportunities.
There are over 25 training partners across the Capital for implementation of the Delhi Police’s scheme.
“A bare minimum level of education and polishing of language skills will be required. The training will take place at the Chittaranjan Park centre,” she said.
The YUVA scheme aims to engage youth, including school dropouts, juveniles in conflict with law, crime victims and families who have lost a breadwinner, in imparting skills to ready them for employment opportunities.
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