JOIN USSexual minorities may get housing facilities soon
If everything goes well, then sexual minorities in Dakshina Kannada district will get housing facilities soon.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Department of Disabled and Senior Citizens Welfare Officer Chandrika said that Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation has asked us to prepare a list of beneficiaries, two days ago. “We are yet to get the guideliness of the housing scheme. The selected beneficiaries will get a roof over their head,” she said.
Inspite of sexual minorities being marginalised in the society, six persons have come forward to take up self-employment by availing the financial assistance from the government.
Under Mythri scheme of monthly pension, four persons are availing the pension in the district.
The officer said that there are 1,672 sexual minorities in Dakshina Kannada district. Only 252 have registered under Nava Sahaja Samudaya, a NGO that has been working for the welfare of the transgenders.
“Four groups (five member each) and 15 individuals have been given financial assistance to start self employment. Of which, six have started self employment by opening beauty parlour and tea shops,” she said.
“We had recommended eight names to the revenue department for Mythri scheme. However, when the officials visited the house, they have found only four to be eligible for the pension scheme. Earlier, the beneficiary should have attained 40 years to avail the pension scheme. Now, the government has reduced the age limit to 30.
We have asked Nava Sahaja Samudaya to give a list of beneficiaries to be included in pension scheme. The Nava Sahaja had recently reconstituted its office-bearers. The facilities will be utilised and process of preparing the list of beneficiaries to avail government facilities is in progress,” she added.
Women and Child Welfare department Deputy Director Gatrude Veigas said “we had convened meeting sof transgenders four times after August. They participate in the meeting and fail to furnish address details to avail the facilities. We are planning to convene a meeting next week, to address their problems and find out the reason for backtracking from availing the facilities.”
“The department will extend its support to the transgenders to come to main stream of the society,” she added.
“Documents including address proof remained an issue for transgenders to get benefits such as subsidised ration, monthly pension and health schemes.
Transgenders do not have identity cards because they do not have permanent address. They do not get houses for rent easily as society refuses to lease houses to them. As a result, they do not have Aadhaar cards or ration cards ” said an officer.
In fact, the district administration and Women and Child Welfare department had initiated a novel method to distribute ID cards for transgenders in the district.
Thirty ID cards were distributed in the month of August. In the second phase, few more ID cards will be distributed, Chandrika added.