New Delhi: The Government of India has so far sanctioned 2,285 houses for transgenders
under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Government informed Rajya Sabha on
Monday.
This is the first approved and first dedicated housing scheme for the community.
In the month of August 2022, Social Welfare Department of the Maharashtra government
has proposed an affordable housing scheme for the transgender community.
Under the proposed scheme, around 150 flats of 450 sq feet each will be offered in a
dedicated housing complex in Nagpur city for the transgender community.
“The Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) has ready flats available. It has agreed to sell them
to us. Using the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) funds and taking rest of the funding
from the state government, we will make these flats available to the transgender
community. They will own these flats,” Dr Prashant Narnaware, Commissioner, Social
Welfare, had said.
“We hear of shelter houses or hostel facilities for this marginalized community, but our
scheme envisages that they will own the flats, own the complex and can lead a dignified
life,” Narnaware had said.
Transgender persons often find it difficult to buy or rent a house in a good locality
because of the stigma attached to their gender identity, hence the scheme would be
helpful for them to lead a respectable and dignified life.
With the sanction of 2,285 houses for transgenders under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
(Urban), the wound be able find themselves in the mainstream population across the
country.
