To rehabilitate the nomadic people from narikorava community and transgenders who could be seen begging during the lockdown, Tirunelveli Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish has designed and started separate programmes to train them in making a range of products including readymade garments.

Addressing the narikoravas from Pettai in Tirunelveli on Monday, while launching the training programme, Ms. Shilpa, appealed to them not to seek alms and urged them to become entrepreneurs by actively participating in the training programme.

They would be trained in making products such as sanitisers, soap solution, soaps, phenyl, floor cleaner, detergent powder, vessel cleaning powder, liquid blue, candle and papad.

“You should strive hard to make quality products so that you will enjoy excellent reception for your products among the public. Instead of seeking alms, you should sell your products in a brand created by you. Your children, after completing their education in the school or college, will also get motivated to become entrepreneurs,” Ms. Shilpa said.

The Collector has also made arrangements for procuring the products from the narikoravas to be sold along with the products of women self-help groups in the centralised ‘Pon Bharani Bazaar’ near Tirunelveli new bus-stand.

For the transgender, Ms. Shilpa has designed a month-long training programme with incentive on tailoring and for making readymade garments.

The Collector inaugurated the training in the community hall near the transgender colony in Narasinganallur near here on Monday.

When the transgender complained to Ms. Shilpa that they faced threats from anti-socials, particularly after the dusk, the Collector assured them that the police patrol would be in their area round-the-clock.

‘Mahalir Thittam’ and SCAD Educational Trust are jointly organising the training programme for the narikoravas and the transgender.

Project Director, Mahalir Thittam Michael Fernando was present.