Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has reconstituted the State Transgender Welfare Board to enhance welfare initiatives and ensure better coordination for the community across the state.
The board, constituted in May 2025 for a three-year term, has been dissolved within a year.
Under the revised framework, Odisha’s Chief Secretary Anu Garg will serve as the board’s chairman. The Secretary of the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department will be vice-chairperson, and the Director of the department will be Member Secretary.
The reconstituted board includes senior officials from several departments — Health & Family Welfare, Women & Child Development, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Housing & Urban Development, Skill Development & Technical Education, Higher Education, School & Mass Education.
The state’s DGP and senior administrative officials are also part of the board.
The transgender community is represented on the board in the form of notable members like Dipti Mohapatra, the state’s first third-gender doctorate recipient, and prominent rights activist Soumya Das.
Representatives from organisations such as the Transgender Suraksha Trust in Bhubaneswar and the Chetana Organization in Balugaon have also been included to ensure grassroots-level participation.
District Collectors from Balangir, Angul and Khurda will serve as members on a rotational basis.
The reconstituted board will focus on implementation of schemes related to education and skill development, healthcare access, social security and livelihood opportunities.
