Delhi will soon notify rules to provide transgender persons with legal recognition, healthcare, education, livelihood support, and protection under the SMILE scheme, Garima Greh shelters, and Ayushman Bharat TG Plus
-1771676334037_d.png "Delhi government likely to notify Transgender Welfare rules in 15 days")
Legal recognition, healthcare, livelihood support for transgender persons coming soon in Delhi. Representational Pic
The Delhi government is likely to notify rules for the inclusion of transgender persons under the SMILE scheme, Garima Greh shelter homes and Ayushman Bharat TG Plus health coverage within the next 15 days.
An official said that the rules will provide legal recognition, access to livelihood support, healthcare, education, rehabilitation and protection against discrimination for transgender persons.
These rules will be in line with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity, he said.
The draft rules have completed the consultation process, and the gazette notification file has been sent for the final signature of the lieutenant governor, after which the rules will be formally notified and implemented across Delhi, he told PTI.
The move follows an order issued on November 19, 2025, by the central government, asking all states and Union territories to adopt and implement the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and related rules. The Centre's order aligned with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and its Rules, 2020, ensuring legal recognition, welfare measures and protection against discrimination for transgender persons in education, employment, healthcare and access to public services.
The order further stated that transgender persons are guaranteed equality, dignity and non-discrimination under Articles 14 (right to equality), 15 (prohibits discrimination against citizens on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth), 19 (protects freedoms of speech and expression, peaceful assembly, forming associations/unions, free movement, residence, and practicing any profession or business) and 21 (right to life or personal liberty) of the Constitution. It also proposed rules that seek to operationalise these rights through structured welfare mechanisms at the state level.
According to the order, the SMILE scheme provides livelihood support, skill development, education assistance, healthcare access and rehabilitation for transgender persons and other marginalised individuals, and has been operationalised in alignment with the 2019 Act.
The rules provide for healthcare support through Ayushman Bharat Transgender Plus, including gender-affirming care, hormone therapy, sex reassignment surgery and post-operative care, with free medical coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per person per year, it added. The order also mandated setting up Garima Greh shelter homes to offer safe accommodation, food, medical care, counselling and recreational facilities for transgender persons in need.
It further directed the establishment of district-level transgender protection cells under district magistrates to monitor offences, ensure timely registration of FIRs and conduct sensitisation programmes to strengthen legal protections for the transgender community.
The rules also provide for grievance redressal, inter-departmental coordination and monitoring of welfare schemes, and integration with the National Portal for Transgender Persons to enable certification, scheme access and transparency through multilingual digital services.
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