The civic administrators have attempted to strike a gender balance in the budget by addressing the needs of women and transgenders.
The Kochi Corporation has proposed to introduce identity cards for transgenders as part of efforts to ensure social security for them. Oruma Homes, the budget accommodation facilities for transgenders who come to the city for jobs and educational opportunities, have also been envisioned in the annual budget which was presented on Saturday. Deputy Mayor T.J. Vinod, who presented the budget, also earmarked ₹10 lakh for the scheme.
While conceding that the civic body could not make much headway on the project to set up a women’s hotel for those who come to the city on official visits, the corporation hoped to tie up with the State government’s lodging for women scheme. The civic body will associate itself with the government’s proposal to open a She Lodge in the city, the budget document said.
While informing the media that the conversion of Libra Hotel, owned by the corporation, into a woman’s hostel is in the final stages, Mayor Soumini Jain said that the civic body intended to set up more such facilities for women. The scheme will benefit girl students and women, she added.
The budget document also offered to bring out safety guidelines and ensure minimum infrastructure facilities in private hostels for women. A database of private hostels in the city will also be prepared as part of measures to ensure safety of women in such facilities, the document promised. The budget also earmarked ₹25 lakh for the project.
A martial arts and self-defence training programme for women have also been proposed in the budget. Training will be imparted at community halls, anganvadis, and ward sabhas in the city. The programme will get a budgetary support of ₹10 lakh, the Deputy Mayor said.
