Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on Saturday said that the government will take measures to carry out a census on transgenders in Puducherry.
Stating that they are committed to recognising the third gender, he said, “We are duty-bound to provide reservation to transgenders born in Puducherry, in education and employment. We will decide on this issue after discussing in the Cabinet,” he added.
He was speaking at the Transgender Day Celebration 2017 organised by the Voluntary Health Services and Sahodaran Community Oriented Health Development Society in Puducherry recently.
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Responding to the demands submitted by Sheethal Nayak, Transgender Rights Activist, President-cum-Project Director, SCOHD Society, he said that the government will create opportunities for transgenders through Puducherry Backward Classes Corporation to enable them to start self-employment ventures.
Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy added that they would also provide vocational training for the transgender community in Puducherry.
Sheethal Nayak demanded that the transgender community be provided separate identity cards and help them apply for voter id cards. “There are no official figures to show how many transgenders there are in Puducherry. The government should conduct census to provide them ration cards and housing facilities,” she added.
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“The government should also provide reservation in education and employment and introduce a subject on transgenders as part of the curriculum in schools. The government hospitals should provide free sex change surgery,” said Ms. Nayak.
A guide book on the Supreme Court judgement on transgender rights was released.
Chairman of PIPDIC R.Siva, Uppalam MLA A.Anbalagan, Pondicherry AIDS Control Society Project Director Jayanthi Gurumurthy, VHS-MISA DIVA Project V.Balaji were present.