In a major announcement, gender affirming or sex reassignment surgeries would be carried out free for members of the transgender community in Maharashtra, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope has said. He made the announcement at a conference organised by the Public Health Department and the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre on Thursday. NCP MP Supriya Sule shared a video clip of Tope's speech.
"I would like to tell you on this occasion that we will carry out surgeries for transgenders 100 per cent free," the minister can be heard saying.Thanking Tope, Sule tweeted on Friday, "Rajesh Bhaiyya Tope (@rajeshtope11) - Minister for Public Health and Family Welfare, Govt of Maharashtra has declared that Gender affirming or Sex reassignment surgeries (SRS) would be done free of cost for Transgender Individuals in the State."