Kozhikode
The District Panchayat budget presented by Vice President M.P. Sivanandan here on Friday came as a delight for the transgender persons by allocating a special fund of ₹10 lakh. Mr. Sivanandan, in his budget speech, said it would be spent to bring the marginalised segment to the mainstream and address their welfare concerns.
The District Panchayat authorities said it was the first time that such a considerable allocation was made by a local body for the welfare of transgender persons. The specific projects would be finalised after getting a clear picture about the 14th five-year plan, they said.
In the latest budget, the State government also had made an allocation of ₹5.8 crore under various schemes. It was announced for giving financial assistance, community level assistance, institutional interventions and insurance benefits. In the cooperative sector, ₹30 lakh had been earmarked for transgender persons’ employment generation.
