Badlega India
The Kerala government’s announcement of a pension scheme for people aged 60 years and above of the third gender has come as a huge relief for the transgender community in the state, according to The Times Of India reports.
“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,” said the state Finance Minsiter Thomas Isaac as he unveiled the first budget of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government.
His statement was reportedly welcomed with a hearty round of applause by the lawmakers in Kerala.
Isaac, however, did not mention the pension amount. But his ideology is appreciated widely.
Transgenders reportedly face a lot of discrimination, are socially isolated, struggle to hold regular jobs and do not receive benefits such as medical insurance and pension.
Reports in Hindustan Times say, This announcement makes Kerala the second state to have a welfare scheme for transgenders after Odisha.
Incidentally, Kerala government is also the first state in India to have a Transgender Policy, envisaging to end the societal stigma towards the sexual minority group and ensure them non-discriminatory treatment.
A survey reported that there are at least 25,000 transgenders in Kerala and a majority of them are school dropouts due to heavy stigma and oppression, The Indian Express reported.
While speaking to Hindustan Times Shyma, a transgender from Kochi said, “Shooed away from everywhere, this will give us some respectability.”
