Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to foot the bill of
sex change surgery of those belonging to the transgender community. An amount of Rs 2 lakh will be reimbursed as hospital expenses for each transgender person undergoing sex change surgery. Those who have already undergone surgery can also apply for assistance.
Announcing the decision on his official Facebook page, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said financial constraints won’t be a hurdle for any transgender who wishes to live as man or woman. “The government which has ensured the rights of education and employment of transgender community will now bear the cost of sex change surgery too”, Vijayan said. Kerala was the first state to announce a transgender policy in 2015. This June, higher education department issued an order to ensure two seats for TG community members for each graduate course in government and aided colleges. Literacy mission is regularly training TG community members to help pass equivalency examination. Social justice department recently launched a self-employment scheme for transgender persons.
