‘Enlighten transgenders about govt schemes’

Minister for Women and Child Development Jayamala on Tuesday directed top brass of her department to enlighten the transgender community about the government schemes for the welfare of transgenders.

She was speaking at a review meeting here.

She expressed displeasure over lack of housing and employment facilities for the community members.

Deputy Director Sundar Poojary said that there were 1,726 transgenders in the district. The Karnataka State women development corporation provided a subsidy to 10 transgenders every year for livelihood.

“Deputy Commissioner has identified land at Pacchanady for housing facilities to transgenders. The transgenders are opposed to apartments as they prefer individual houses,” he said.

Prof Hilda Rayappan of Prajna Counselling Centre said that the district lacked reception centres for women in distress.

Child Protection unit Officer Usman said that there were 131 children in the adoption centre at Puttur.

“A total of 10 children from adoption centres have died due to various health issues,” he said.

Jayamala instructed the staff to create awareness about Mamateya Tottilu at Lady Goschen Hospital and Santwana Kendra in the district.

“The cradles have been kept so that those who abandoned newborn babies can keep them there. Mothers who can’t raise up their children can use the facility and the department will take care of them,” she added.

She directed officials to send a proposal to set up another adoption centre in DK.

Regarding cochlear implants (it is surgically implanted neuroprosthetic device that provides a sense of sound to a person with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss) that becomes defunct after some years creating problems for children, she directed the officials consider the problems of the children seriously.

Jayamala directed the officials to check if skill development training for differently abled could be commissioned.