TN a pioneer in transgender welfare, HC told

Chennai: Tamil Nadu is a pioneer in transgender welfare policies, the state government has told the Madras high court, adding that so far it has identified 7,547 members of transgender community and given identity cards to 6,553 of them.

Five transgenders have been recruited to Tamil Nadu police, the state told the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala and Justice K K Ramakrishnan on Tuesday.

The submissions were made in response to a public interest writ petition filed by S Muthu Kumar for a direction to Tamil Nadu government to implement the directions of the Supreme Court in the 2014 National Legal Services Authority case without further delay.

Narrating the schemes implemented in the state as per the directions of the Supreme Court, it said: “By recognising them as third genders, they are provided with birth certificate, educational certificate, community and other essential identity cards like ration card and voter identity card.”

A survey conducted by the state government identified 7,574 members of transgender community, issued identity cards to 6,553, ration cards to 2,541, house pattas issued to 1,671, health insurance cards were issued to 1,489, educational assistance were provided to 9, tenements have been allotted to 515 persons and sewing machines were provided to 90 persons, the state said.

So far, 20 people belonging to the community have been provided with government jobs, including sub-inspector of police, constable of police, physiotherapist in government hospital, lab assistant, office assistant, jeep driver, nutritious meal organiser and watchman, the state said.

It further pointed out that every year ₹1 crore is allotted to implement welfare schemes for the community through self-help groups and cooperative societies for the community.

The first bench recorded all the submissions of the state government and disposed of the PIL.

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