The Tamil Nadu government in its budget for 2024-25 has announced that it will bear the educational expenses including tuition and hostel fees of transgender students who pursue higher education. The government has additionally allocated Rs 2 crore to the state’s Transgender Welfare Board, Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu announced while presenting the budget on Monday, February 19.

Allocations have also been made to offer a 10% wage subsidy to new industries that employ a total of 500 employees consisting of women, transgender persons and differently-abled persons.

Read: TN Budget 2024 Highlights: State govt focuses on welfare and higher education

Further, the Vidiyal Payana Thittam which provides free bus travel to women, severely disabled persons and to transgender people, has now been extended to the hilly areas of Valparai, Kodaikanal and Nilgiris. For extending this subsidisation, Rs 3,050 crore has been allocated by the state, according to the government.