Transgenders can't get state benefits as most official data ignores 'other'

Lack of means to record their preferred gender identities means that many Indians who identify as transgender are excluded from various social security benefits.

Last year, as India went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the government announced that each transgender person would receive Rs 1,500 as direct transfer and ration supplies. Despite an estimated population of 4.8 million, only 5,711 transgender individuals received the bank transfer and 1,229 received the ration supplies.

"When we asked persons from the community to send us their bank account details, to forward to the government, around 80% told us that they have no bank accounts," said Tinesh Chopade, advocacy manager at Humsafar Trust, an organisation working to advance health, advocacy, capacity building and research for the