The government has decided to set up transgender cells in six districts, Social Justice Minister K.K. Shylaja has said.
Replying to a calling attention motion of M.K. Muneer on the need for a legislation to address the problems being faced by transgenders in the Assembly on Friday, Ms. Shylaja said the cells would be set up in Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Kasaragod.
It has been proposed to provide surgery clinics for them in at least two medical colleges. A 24-hour helpline would become functional by April. Awareness campaign and classes were conducted for the police, Health Department personnel and teachers to prevent atrocities against them. A continuing education programme too has been launched by the Literacy Mission, she said.
The State would have to wait till the Centre enacted an Act to pilot a welfare legislation for them, the Minister said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in response to a calling attention motion of K.V. Abdul Khader on the need for augmenting rehabilitation for Gulf returnees, said that certain banks were reluctant to support the NoRKA Department Project for Returned Emigrants. The government was still holding discussions, he said.
PSC rank list
The government will not recommend to the Public Service Commission to extend the tenure of the lower division clerk rank list, Works Minister G. Sudhakaran said.
Replying to a submission by K. Rajan on the issue in the Assembly on Friday, Mr. Sudhakaran who was deputising for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that steps had been taken to expedite vacancy reporting and action would be taken against officials failing to comply with the government directive. The government had so far created 12,680 posts. Hence, there was no need to extend the tenure of the rank lists, he said.
