The Odisha government has decided to include members of thetransgender communityin a social welfare scheme which provides amonthly pensionto the needy.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved a proposal to cover the members of the community underthe Madhu Babu Pension Yojana(MBPY) which aims at providing financial assistance to the destitute elderly, differently-abled persons and widows, he said.
Around 5,000 transgenders will get a monthly pension in between Rs 500 and Rs 900 depending on their age, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) minister Ashok Panda said.
The government’s decision was taken in view of the promises made in the ruling BJD’s manifesto for the 2019 Assemble polls, the minister said.
Panda said that the transgender people will have to apply on the official website of the department to register themselves under the MBPY.