Here's All You Need To Know About Rajasthan Government's Transgender Welfare Fund

The government of Rajasthan has decided to set up a welfare fund, among the first such in India, dedicated towards the upliftment of the transgender community. Officials had said that these funds would be utilised for the financial and social upliftment of the community and bring its members to the mainstream.

Rajasthan constituted a Transgender Welfare Board back in August 2016 with three members from the community, with the chairman being the social justice department minister. This welfare fund was part of the 2021-22 budget announcements, reported the Hindustan Times.

How Will It Help?

Member of the Transgender Welfare Board, Pushpa Nai said, welcomed the move and said: "Rajasthan is the first state in the country with a separate development fund for the community."

Furthermore, she added that the transgender development fund would focus on education, awareness, skills, and infrastructure like setting up community halls.

The government has made a sum of ₹8.82 crores as an annual allocation for the fund. Furthermore, the state government has made provision of financial assistance for a sex change, under which ₹2.5 lakh is set to be provided to the applicant, revealed Pushpa.

The Other Progressive Indian States!

There are numerous provisions of financial aid in one form or the other in very few states across India. Tamil Nadu handed over ₹4000 as financial aid to transgender people in light of the Covid pandemic to start small businesses. At the same time, Karala also gave financial assistance for sex realignment surgeries for the community members.

As per the 2011 census, the population of transgenders in Rajasthan was around 16,500. After that, in joint mapping with the UNDP, it was found to be approximately around 22,517. However, it is expected that the population now has touched around 75,000.

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