The Kerala government has extended its hand of help to transgender people in the state by offering them free rations to tide over the lockdown.

Health minister K.K. Shailaja on Tuesday said kits containing essential items would be distributed to 1,000 transgender persons.

“This decision was taken in view of the difficulty they would be going through to meet basic needs,” Shailaja was quoted as saying in a media statement.

The kit contains 5kg quality rice, 1kg green gram, 500ml coconut oil, 1kg sugar, 1kg wheat flour and 500gm tea powder. The kits will be distributed through the district social justice officers.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Monday announced free food for migrant workers.

Shyama S. Prabha, state coordinator of the Transgender Cell functioning under the social justice department, said it was the first time any state has provided relief to transgender people.

“Kerala is the first state to provide such a relief during the coronavirus lockdown,” Prabha said.

“We have instructed all districts to start distribution from today itself,” Prabha told The Telegraph on Tuesday.

A member of the cell constituted in 2018 with the aim of justice for transgender persons, Prabha said: “We made the request to the secretary and director of the social justice department since many trans people have no resources.”