KOCHI: Kerala State Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac announced the first budget of the new Pinarayi Vijayan government, announcing a pension scheme for transgenders above the age of 60. "The LDF government is committed to protect the rights of all, including those in the transgender community. We will introduce pension for transgenders above 60 years of age," Isaac said.
While the amount for pension was not mentioned, the move in itself brings a sigh of relief to the 25,000-member transgender community in Kerala. Several news reports have been published lately on the plight of the minority community in the state. Following the pieces, Kochi Metro Rail Limited authorities came forward offering jobs to transgender persons in housekeeping, customer care and crowd management sections this week.
Kerala is the first state in India to bring out a Transgender Policy. However, it hadn't announced any financial assistance to the marginalised section till date. At the same time, a major demand by the transgender community in the state - to offer free sex reassessment surgery (SRS) to align their biological sex with their gender identity in order to become male or female, did not find place in the budget.
