Tamil Nadu govt to fund higher education of transgender persons, promote inclusive employment

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarassu has announced that the state government will cover the tuition and hostel expenses of transgender individuals who wish to pursue higher education.

While presenting the state's fiscal year 2024-2025 Budget, he mentioned that the government will allocate an additional Rs 2 crore to the Transgender Welfare Board for this initiative.

The minister mentioned that higher education plays a pivotal role in enhancing the socio-economic status and success of the transgender community. 

“However, only a limited number of transgender individuals are pursuing higher education in Tamil Nadu at present. In light of this, the government will cover all educational expenses including tuition and hostel fees for transgender individuals who want to pursue higher education,” the minister said.

In 2008, Tamil Nadu became the first state in the country to form a transgender welfare board to empower the community through various services such as identity cards, ration cards, house pattas, residential homes, free sewing machines, higher education assistance, self-help groups, and more.

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The finance minister also claimed in the Budget speech that Tamil Nadu has successfully implemented several innovative schemes for the welfare of transgenders.

The government also launched a special scheme to encourage more women, differently-abled and transgender individuals to work in the state. The programme will provide a payroll subsidy to all new industrial units providing direct employment to over 500 such individuals from Tamil Nadu, for the next two years. 

In the Budget estimates for FY25, Rs 3,050 crore was allocated for the “Vidiyal Payana Thittam” scheme, which provides free bus travel in town buses to women. In 2021, the scheme was extended to transgender persons as well as people with severe disability and their attendants.

As per the finance minister, this year’s Budget focused on seven pillars: social justice, the welfare of the marginalised, transforming young Tamils as global achievers, a knowledge-based economy, equality focused on the welfare of women, sustainable green future, and Tamil language and culture.