Kerala has been a beacon of hope when it comes to paving the way for equal rights and opportunities for India’s transgender community. From special scholarships, State-level sports meets, hosting beauty pageants to schools, reserving spots in higher education for transgender students, and a special transgender policy – the State has set a great example when it comes to acceptance, inclusivity and supporting a community that has been disenfranchised for far too long.

Another move made in the right direction was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s announcement on Facebook that the State would fund sex reassignment surgery for transgender individuals who opt for the same, even in private hospitals.

“If more money is required, it will be made available,” Jaffar Malik, director of the state’s social justice department, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview. Reuters reports that three hospitals have been assigned for gender reassignment surgery and that the government noted that it would also “pay for people to have the procedure outside the state and reimburse those who had already done so.”

The CM announced that INR 2 Lakhs would be allocated per individual, adding, “The government which has ensured the rights of education and employment of transgender community will now bear the cost of sex change surgery too.”

While all of the state’s promises haven’t been kept, as per a report by The News Minute, LGBTQ community members and activists have welcomed the step, some even urging other states in the country to “learn a lesson” from Kerala.

Read the full report by the Thomson Reuters Foundation here.