Ayushman Bharat to cover sex change of transgenders

Ayushman Bharat, the Centre's flagship health insurance scheme for the poorest of the poor, will now provide medical cover to transgenders and support medical intervention like sex change operations. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) provides a medical cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for free treatment at all public and empanelled private hospitals. This benefit will now be extended to transgenders under the government's new scheme, Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE). The health cover will include medical support and medical intervention.Secretary (social justice and empowerment) R Subrahmanyam told ET, "There are five components of the new scheme - education, health, skill development, rehabilitation and economic linkages. For health, packages are being worked out under Ayushman Bharat for transgenders. This will cover surgeries and medical support required by transgender persons."The ministry of social justice and empowerment will roll out SMILE on October 12. The scheme has two sub schemes - Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons and Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons engaged in the act of begging. The umbrella scheme will cover several measures, including welfare measures for both transgender persons and persons who are engaged in the act of begging, with focus extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, education, skill development, economic linkages with the support of state governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).The Centre has earmarked Rs 500 crore for a five-year welfare plan for transgender persons.