Job opportunities for sexual minorities
Manufacturing unit at Krishi Vignana Kendra: Dr Shivakumar Magada
Mangaluru, June 6: Krishi Vignana Kendra (KVK) head Dr Shivakumar Magada said that steps would be taken to set up manufacturing unit on the premises of KVK to help the sexual minorities build a respectful life by taking up agriculture related self employment opportunities.
Speaking at a workshop on conducting skills development training programme under the Parivarthana Trust for the sexual minorities, at the zilla panchayat hall here on Wednesday, he said that people could take up dairy farming, mushroom farming, manufacturing of agriculture related products, bakery products, fishiculture and other self employments without any investment and education qualification.
At this moment, sexual minority community member Sanjana said that they were finding it difficult to given even the rent for the houses. Moreover, they were not getting the rented houses in the city because of some social stigma. Then how can they start self employment, the member asked.
Responding to it, Shivakumar said that if the sexual minorities came forward, he would make arrangement for manufacturing unit on the premises of the KVK. They could also stay there during their training. The KVK would make arrangement for capital investment required for some raw materials. They could make their products in their own ‘Parivarthan’ brand and sell them, he said.
He said that the state government has introduced Saviruchi Kaituttu Canteen exclusively for women and it has good demand. Sexual minorities who are interested in cooking could involve themselves in it, he said.
But another sexual minority member said that “We can prepare good and tasty food. But who will take our food. When the society is still keeping us away from the mainstream, what is the use of preparing tasty food”, the member said.
Saviruchi canteen
Shivakumar said that the state government had introduced Saviruchi canteen which has good demand. Sexual minorities could involve and take up the responsibility of the canteens, he said.
But a member from the sexual minority community said that “we can prepare good and tasty food with cleanliness. Who will take our food? When the society is not in a position to accept us, who will take our food and what is the use of preparing food”, the member asked.
But Zilla Panchayat project officer Lokesh said that the food prepared by the sexual minorities could be taken for government sponsored programmes. Let the change begin from the government side, he advised.
Rudseti director James D’Souza, Lead Bank manager Francis, woman and child welfare department deputy director Sundara Poojary, KGTTI staff Megha and Priya explained about the various employment schemes.
‘Treat us like others’
“Everybody talks that the society has changed, perception of the people is changed towards us and we should come to the mainstream of the society. I have learnt beautician course and working as a beautician. But a few days ago, when I was with my friends in one night, police have come and forced me to become nude and assaulted me”, another member said.
“We like to live with you people. Even then, we are being separated as sexual minorities. Are we not looking like women? If the same assault was happened on a woman, what would be the response of the society? Why do you separate us? Treat us like you people and allow us to live like others in the society”, she said.
Parivarthana Trust head Violet Pereira, and more than 20 sexual minorities participated in the workshop.
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Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
