As many as 457 transgender persons have benefited from the government’s financial assistance for sex reassignment surgeries (SRS) since 2021-22. However, the number of beneficiaries has dipped from 167 initially to 93 in the 2024-25 financial year.

An amount of ₹4.97 crore has been given as assistance from 2021-22 to 2024-25.

While ₹1.74 crore was given as assistance in 2021-22 for 167 beneficiaries, it declined to ₹89.23 lakh for 82 beneficiaries in 2023-24 before slightly improving to ₹1.02 crore for 93 beneficiaries the next year, according to Social Justice department data.

The government gives financial assistance of up to ₹2.5 lakh to transwomen and ₹5 lakh to men for SRS. After the surgery in a suitable hospital, original bills and treatment reports need to be presented for receiving the assistance. The applications are scrutinised by a technical committee comprising doctors before financial assistance can be disbursed.

The government also gives financial assistance for further treatment after SRS. Since 2021-22, an assistance of ₹1.13 crore has been given to 502 beneficiaries. The highest amount was distributed in 2022-23 – ₹39.27 lakh to 165 beneficiaries. In 2024-25, only ₹21.09 lakh was distributed – to 100 beneficiaries.

Transgender persons say the decline could be owing to various reasons. The biggest hurdle is that they receive the government assistance only after the SRS is done. The initial burden of raising the funds for the surgery is on them, especially owing to the increase in living expenses. Many people are unable to proceed with the surgery because they are unable to raise funds.

Even though Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, is becoming a familiar name among community members for SRS, most procedures are still done in private hospitals. Though emergency funds are available, it can still take time to get these released. This makes it imperative that a mechanism be evolved so that the government releases the funds early in time for the surgery. Moreover, a proper government-private sector agreement should be there so that funds can directly be given to the private hospitals in time for SRS in future, say the community members.