Eunuchs to get `1K each month
In what is being seen as a first initiative of its kind anywhere in the country, eunuchs of the city have been brought within the social security net by the MCD on Tuesday by issuing a notification that will make the eunuchs eligible for a monthly pension of `1,000.
The MCD may also enrol eunuchs for house tax collection. The MCD also provided for extending pension benefits to an orphan child not above 18.
With this, eunuchs would be given pension at par with old persons, widows, insane, crippled, widowers and divorcee women, who have so far been benefiting from the monthly pension scheme. The proposal in this regard had been moved by former chairperson of women and child welfare committee, Malti Verma, during the budget presentation for 2010-11. The proposal was later approved by the MCD House.
Ms Verma said that eunuchs were a marginalised section of the society. While a few young eunuchs manage to earn a living by singing and dancing on auspicious occasions, a large number of them do not have any source of income, more so when they old, she said.
Further, Ms Verma said that they also tend to get affected with various communicable diseases and there was a need to focus on that area too.
“This pension is just a beginning in this direction,” said Ms Verma. With this initiative, the MCD has tried to uplift the lot of an estimated three lakh eunuchs in the capital. “They too have equal right in the development and upliftment schemes of the MCD. They are as much a part of society as other sections like an orphan, widow or a handicapped.”
Post new comment