Summary:
The state government has already increased the amount for girl students concerned from Rs150 to Rs300 per year for the purchase of sanitary napkins, but the alternative product would last for five years and was in use in several foreign countries, Reshma added.She also demanded an office for the Transgender Development Board in Patna. PATNA: CM Nitish Kumar, at the Lok Samvad programme on Monday, directed the state welfare department to conduct a detailed survey to ascertain the actual number of transgenders in the state so that suitable schemes could be framed for them.Transgender Reshma Prasad, while presenting their problems, said as per the UN Development Programme (UNDP) report, Bihar has 40,000 transgenders, but the number would be around 5 lakh if other criteria for their identification could also be applied.“Unless we know their actual numbers, no policy can be framed in an area specific manner,” the CM said and asked principal secretary (welfare department) Atul Prasad to get a fresh survey conducted.Reshma also made a proposal for manufacturing a product as an alternative to sanitary napkins and said it would not cost much to the state exchequer. Prasad said steps taken in this regard did not yield results and, therefore, the board’s office would be opened in a rented building.The CM also directed the heads of the departments concerned to take proper steps on the suggestions put forward by other citizens invited to the Lok Samvad programme.Their suggestions were for the toning up of activities regarding blood donation and blood bank, tending of cows at veterinary college, giving quality primary and middle school education to children and opening library for a cluster of panchayats where students could study books and journals while preparing for their examinations.Mukesh Kumar Hisaria from Patna made suggestions on blood donation and blood bank, Astik Sharma from Aurangabad on matters related to animal husbandry department, Chandan Kumar Singh from Vaishali on quality primary and middle education and management of midday meal (MDM) and Reshma on the mainstreaming of her community in the state..