Kallakurichi holds special camp for transgender people to fulfil their demands

KALLAKURICHI: The Kallakurichi district social welfare department hosted a special camp for transgender people at the district collector's office on Tuesday to help them in making corrections in their names and gender status in their smart and Aadhaar cards and other government records.
Transgender people, who change their names after their transition to the gender they identify themselves with, find it difficult to effect changes in their names in government records including smart cards and Aadhaar cards.They face difficulties in applying for transgender cards issued by the Tamil Nadu government.
"More than 100 transgender people participated in the special camp. Their primary demand was to ease the process to change their names and gender status in government records. They also wanted to ease the process of issuing transgender cards. Many transgender people requested for pension and house site pattas and those who got pattas pleaded for financial assistance to construct houses," said Kallakurichi district social welfare officer S Deepika.
Earlier, while inaugurating the special camp, Kallakurichi district collector P N Sridhar said chief minister M K Stalin had directed officials not to discriminate the transgender people and to help them in availing all state government schemes, particularly schemes related to their health, education and employment.
"The government strives hard to empower transgender people to lead a dignified life in society. Further, the chief minister has advised the authorities concerned to expedite the provision of all welfare assistance. Accordingly, a special camp was organised by the district social welfare department at the district collector's office to fulfil the demands of the third gender population in the district," said Sridhar.
The officials at the camp collected grievances petitions from transgender people and issue application forms for pension and house site pattas. “The petitions received at the camp shall be forwarded to the authorities concerned for immediate action," said the district collector.
Kallakurichi deputy collector (social security scheme) A Rajamani and district supply officer P Shirley Angela also spoke.