India's transgender community has long faced challenges, including homelessness, with nearly half a million individuals identifying as transgender in the 2011 census. Recognizing the need for safe housing, the BJP-led government issued guidelines in 2020 to establish a network of shelters known as Garima Greh. The initiative aimed to provide holistic care for transgender people, with the government pledging financial support to NGOs and community-based organizations running these shelters.
Initially, the government's commitment seemed promising, with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment acknowledging the need for "special protection" for the transgender community. The guidelines outlined a detailed budget and plan, including a one-time grant of Rs 502,500 ($6,019) for setting up each shelter and an annual recurring grant of Rs 3,144,000 ($37,664) for operational expenses. The funding was to be released in batches: 40% at the initial stage, 40% after six months, and the remaining 20% at the end of the financial year.
The launch of the first Garima Greh, run by Lakshya Trust in Vadodara, was widely celebrated and covered by the media. By March 2021, almost all the selected NGOs had received the one-time payment and the first 40% installment. However, as the 2021-2022 financial year ended, 11 out of 12 NGOs interviewed by CNN reported that they had not received the remaining funds for the first year or any money for the subsequent financial year.
Despite the funding delays, the government opened a second call for expressions of interest for new shelters in April 2022, further confusing the NGOs. Faced with the choice of finding alternative resources or shutting down the shelters, many NGOs decided to continue running the shelters for as long as possible. They resorted to various means, such as taking loans, seeking donations, appealing for rent payment delays, and even dipping into personal savings to keep the shelters afloat.
Communication between the Garima Greh representatives and the government broke down further, with monthly Zoom meetings ending abruptly. By April 2023, most shelters were in a dire situation, with one shelter in Kolkata run by NGO Gokhale Road Bandhan having to shut down due to the inability to pay rent. The project director, Ranjitha Sinha, sold her gold jewelry and used personal savings to rent a smaller house to accommodate the displaced transgender individuals.
In October 2023, after an 18-month gap in funding and negative media coverage, five out of 12 non-profits reported receiving some funds for the previous financial year. However, the amounts were insufficient to cover the total money required to run the shelters, and no additional resources have been received for the current financial year, which began in April.
CNN estimates that each shelter should have received a total of $119,168 for the three financial years between 2021-22 and 2023-24. However, according to government data released in the Indian parliament, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had only disbursed between $35,069 and $75,884 to the 12 shelters as of December 2023, representing just 29% to 64% of the promised funds.
The government's track record has cast doubt on the BJP's manifesto promise to expand the network of Garima Greh. NGO representatives and activists express frustration and anger at the government's handling of the situation, questioning how they expect the shelters to continue operating without the promised financial support.
