Karnataka to launch 'India's first ever' survey of sexual minorities, Devadasis from September 15

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is launching what it says will be India’s first survey of sexual minorities on September 15.

Simultaneously, the government will carry out a survey of Devadasi women, which will also start September 15.

Both surveys will be completed in 45 working days, Women & Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar's office said in a statement.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched posters for both surveys, which will be held under the aegis of the Karnataka State Women's Development Corporation.

The survey of sexual minorities will be done by transgender persons. It will be a mobile app-based survey that will be held in all government-run taluk and district hospitals. The survey will be monitored by a district-level committee headed by the deputy commissioner and comprising sexual minorities and representatives from organisations working for their welfare.

Devadasis will be surveyed in 15 districts - Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Raichur, Koppal, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Chitradurga, Davangere, Shivamogga, Ballari and Vijayanagar. The survey will be held at the offices of Child Development Project Officers (CDPO).

The government has constituted committees at various levels comprising members from organisations working for former Devadasi women.

In 1993-94, a survey was conducted in 10 districts, where 22,873 Devadasi women were identified. Later, a re-survey was conducted in 2007-08, where 46,660 Devadasi women were identified. Petitions being submitted by women stating that they were left out of the previous survey will be handled by taluk- and district-level committees.

The government has opened a dedicated helpline for both surveys: 1800 599 2025.