New Delhi, Jul 27 (IANS): To provide safe and secure shelter to transgender persons in need, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is setting up 'Garima Greh' shelter homes for them.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A. Narayanswamy said, "Ministry is formulating a scheme for the welfare of the transgender persons wherein setting up of shelter homes for destitute and needy transgender persons is included as one of the components."

The minister told the Lok Sabha that the ministry has initiated 12 pilot shelter homes and provided financial assistance to Community based Organizations (CBOs) for setting up of the shelter homes for transgender persons. "These pilot shelter homes are in the states of Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha," he said.

Narayanswamy pointed out that the main aim of these shelter homes is to provide safe and secure shelter to transgender persons in need.

"These shelter homes would provide basic amenities like food, medical care, and recreational facilities and also conduct capacity-building/skill development programmes for transgender persons," he said.

The minister informed that the ministry is not implementing any pension scheme for transgender persons. "This ministry is not implementing any pension scheme. However, the Ministry of Rural Development implements the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) in which 3,384 transgenders are being provided monthly pension," Narayanswamy said.