TAMIL NADU TRANSGENDER WELFARE BOARD
The Transgenders face familial rejection, social discrimination and marginalization from the mainstream society. They go through various harassments, deprivations and other forms of discriminations. They are even forced out from the schools on transformation as transgender. There is no job security and employment opportunity due to age old discrimination against them. Prevailing situations compel them to leave their families, discontinue their education and lead an almost nomadic life. The Transgenders who leave their families mostly do not possess with them any documents like birth certificate, educational certificate, community certificate and other essential identity cards like ration cards, Voter Identity Card etc.
Considering the problems faced by the Transgenders and to redress their grievances through welfare measures, the Government has constituted a Welfare Board for Transgenders. The foremost difficulty faced by the Transgenders is to earn their livelihood through a decent and respectable profession. Tamil Nadu is pioneer State in the Country to form Transgender Welfare Board on 15.04.2008 to empower the Transgenders through various services as Identity Cards, Ration Cards, House Pattas, residential Homes, Free Sewing Machines, Higher Education assistance, Self Help Groups, free bus travel in Ordinary fare city buses, free skill trainings, Grant upto Rs.50,000/- for income generating activities.
Various economic activities like provision stores, rearing of milch animals, canteens, production units of soap, napkin, milk products, plying passenger autos, load autos and business activities related to cloth, coir, rice etc., have been taken up by Transgender Self Help Groups.
Exclusive Mobile App, “Thirunangaial” has been developed to enable transgender to register their details and easily avail Identity Card. It also helps to enumerate the transgenders by their age, educational qualification, residence, etc. to formulate welfare schemes for them.