New Delhi: Eunuchs living in the national
capital now have some to reason to cheer as they will be
eligible for a monthly pension under an MCD scheme.
MCD today became the first government agency in India
to announce a Rs-1,000 pension for the `third gender` as it
issued a notification including them in its pension scheme.
The pension scheme of the civic agency benefits
different sections of the society including the elderly,
widows and physically challenged. Like others, eunuchs too
will have to get a recommendation from the area councillor for
securing the pension, MCD Works Committee Chairman Jagdish
Mamgain said.
They will also have to submit a medical certificate
from any government hospital as proof of being an eunuch. An
affidavit to the effect that the eunuch is not married and the
birth certificate or any other document showing the age of the
applicant not below 18 years will have to be given.
The MCD also included orphans up to the age of 18
years into the pension scheme.
The proposal of providing pension to eunuchs and using
them for house tax collection was proposed by Councillor Malti
Verma in the MCD 2010-11 budget discussion. Later, it was
approved by the MCD House.
"Eunuchs are a deprived section of the society. They
don`t have any employment opportunity and only a few young
ones earn money through dancing and singing on auspicious
occasions," an MCD statement said, pointing out that when they
get older, they face a distressing situation and the
government lacks a plan for giving assistance to them.
Delhi has around three lakh eunuchs.
-PTI
