Rajasthan government to cover sex reassignment surgery costs of transgenders

Gehlot announced assistance of up to Rs 2.50 lakh for every sex reassignment surgery to each transgender person who wants to transform into a male or female through the surgical process.

By Rajesh Asnani

JAIPUR:  In a unique initiative, the Rajasthan government will give monetary support to transgender people looking for SRS (sex reassignment surgery). The Ashok Gehlot-led-government claims that this aims to ensure a life of dignity for transgender people and enable them to live in tune with their true personalities.

Gehlot announced assistance of up to Rs 2.50 lakh for every sex reassignment surgery to each transgender person who wants to transform into a male or female through the surgical process. Omprakash Toshniwal, deputy director of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, said that the scheme has been launched under the Samman Yojana.

“This surgery will be undertaken only on the wishes of a transgender person. Interested eligible transgender people can apply to the Social Empowerment Justice Department. If the surgery is done in a government hospital, then this process will be free or we will pay up to Rs 2.50 lakh.”

The number of transgender people in the state is over 20,000. The state government has also created an ‘Utthan Kosh’ of Rs 10 crore for this project. Subject experts say that there are time-taking and complicated phases of SRS. It consists of psychotherapy, hormone therapy and surgery. After diagnosis and hormone therapy, a person can either opt for SRS or continue with the hormones for the rest of their lives.

For male-to-female reassignment, the surgical process includes vaginoplasty, labioplasty, pinectomy,clitero and orchidectomy. Similarly, for a female to male reassignment, the penile and scrotal, re-construction process is. Whereas in non-genital cases, breast enlargement, mastectomy, facial feminization surgery, and voice surgery are also done.

The government’s decision has been welcomed by the transgender community. Kinnar Akhara Mahamandaleshwar Pushpa Mai says “it was a long battle of the transgender community, which has now been completed. Now transgender people will not have to beg for sex change. Even today, there is no right to equality in society, so they do not even get jobs. To raise money, the transgender community begs on signals, trains or other places. This decision of the government will help the transgender community in a big way.”

The Ashok Gehlot government has announced assistance of up to Rs 2.50 lakh for every sex reassignment surgery to each transgender person who wants to transform into a male or female through the surgical process. The number of transgender people in the state is more than 20,000. The state government has also created an ‘Utthan Kosh’ of Rs 10 crore for this project.

Courtesy : TNIE

Note: This news piece was originally published in thenewindianexpress.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights .