Transgender housing scheme to be launched in Kerala this week
The department hopes to begin handing over financial assistance under the scheme this year itself.
Minister for Social Justice R. Bindu had told The Hindu in an exclusive interview earlier that the State government was planning a novel initiative to provide housing for transgender persons.
At present, two short-stay homes, one each, function in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi for transgender persons. However, the housing scheme is seen as an answer to the discrimination and stigma faced by them in securing safe accommodation.
The yet-to-be named scheme aims at providing financial assistance to transgender persons for both purchase of land and construction of house. Transgender beneficiaries of housing schemes such as LIFE Mission who have received financial assistance of ₹4 lakh for house construction will be given an additional ₹2 lakh as gap funding to complete the work. Initially, five transgender persons will be given this assistance.
Those who have land but are not eligible for assistance under LIFE Mission will be provided ₹6 lakh.
In the next phase of the scheme, transgender persons who can avail themselves of loan from any agency suggested by the department will be given interest subvention. The beneficiary will need to pay back only the principal amount. A maximum of ₹15 lakh will be sanctioned as loan for purchase of land and house construction.
The beneficiaries will be selected on priority basis from the applicants. Priority will be given to those who do not own a house, those living in temporary shelters or unsafe conditions, differently abled transgender persons, and the elderly.
A technical committee chaired by the Social Justice director will be set up for the selection. Clear guidelines have been framed for this. Applications can be submitted directly or online.
The department had initially mulled the idea of providing housing to transgender persons in an apartment complex. It was dropped though owing to the possibility of ostracism by residents from outside the transgender community.
The housing scheme in its current format offers beneficiaries the option of staying in a location of their choosing.
The government has sanctioned ₹50 lakh for the first phase of the scheme. It hopes to sanction more funds for the scheme next year provided it is received successfully.
Minister R. Bindu will launch the housing scheme at the inaugural event of the three-day 'Varnapakittu' transgender arts festival in Kozhikode on August 21.
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