Lok Sabha Question No. 68 (STARRED), answered on 2018-02-07
Subject: Beggar Free Nation
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: P.K.SREEMATHI TEACHER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 68* TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2018

## BEGGAR FREE NATION

## 68*.  SHRIMATI P.K. SREEMATHI TEACHER:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any action plan along with the States to make India a beggar free nation;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the target fixed for the same;
- (c) the action taken against the culprits who force the children to beg at railway stations and other public places; and
- (d) the steps taken to educate and provide job opportunities to the beggars?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICLS & FERTILIZERS

(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) to     (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 68* to be answered on 07.02.2018 regarding Beggar Free Nation by Shrimati P.K. Sreemathi Teacher, MP

- (a) to (d): 1. The Government is implementing a large number of programmes targeting vulnerable social groups like poor, destitutes, aged, persons with disabilities, widows, orphans, abandoned children, victims of alcoholism and substance abuse, persons affected by leprosy, nomadic and de-notified tribes engaged in performing arts etc., so as to prevent them from getting into begging. The details of some central programmes/schemes are given at Annexure-I. Similar programmes/schemes are also implemented by the State Governments.
2. Although there is no specific central legislation to deal with beggary, Section 363-A of Indian Penal Code (IPC) provides that kidnapping or maiming a minor or a lawful guardian using a minor for purposes of begging is a criminal and punishable offense. Under section 76 (1) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 employing or using any child for the purpose of begging or causing any child to beg; and amputating or maiming a child for the purpose of begging, is a punishable offense. The Railways Act, 1989 (Section 144) also provides for prohibition of hawking etc. and begging and violation of the Act is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both.
3. Details of number of cases reported under Section 363A of IPC regarding kidnapping & abduction of children for the purpose of begging (children upto 18 years) during 2014, 2015 & 2016 and number of persons  prosecuted,  convicted  and  amount  realised  for  hawking  and  begging  under  section  144  of Railways Act, 1989, during 2015-16, 2016-17 & 2017-18 are given at Annexure-II .
4. 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  being  state  subjects,  20  States  and  2  Union  Territories  (UTs)  have enacted their own anti-beggary legislations. In addition, Rajasthan and Puduchery have been implementing the  anti-beggary  measures  through  executive  orders.  List  of  States/UTs  with  State  Legislations  is  at Annexure-III .
5. So far as education of beggars is concerned, free and compulsory education to all children of six to fourteen  years  age  is  a  fundamental  right  under  Article  21(a)  of  the  constitution.  Article  45  of  the constitution also provides that state shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, has further made it mandatory on the part of the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children of India in the 6 to 14 age group including children belonging to disadvantage groups.
6. Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) now 'Child Protection Services' with the objective of creating a safe and secure environment for children in need of care and protection including those children who are found begging. Under ICPS, financial assistance is provided to the State Governments/UT Administrations for undertaking, inter-alia, situational analysis of children in difficult circumstances and setting up and maintenance of various types of Child Care Institutions (CCIs). The Scheme provides institutional care through CCIs. As a rehabilitative measure in these CCIs, children are provided age appropriate education either within the institution or outside  in  a  formal  education  system  through  convergence  with  other  schemes  and  programs  of  the Government or Civil Society.

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## Annexure referred  to  in  reply  to  Parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  68*  to  be answered on 07.02.2018 regarding Beggar Free Nation by Shrimati P.K. Sreemathi Teacher, MP

## Details of schemes/programmes

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Scheme/ Ministry                                                                                                                   | Objective                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | 2                                                                                                                                              | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 2         | Scheme of Assistance to Disabled for Purchase / Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP), M/o Social Justice and                                  | bodies and the Community at large. The main objectives of the Scheme is to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation, by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhance their economic potential.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 3         | Empowerment (M/o SJE) Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme to promote Voluntary Action for Persons with Disabilities                       | Target Group: needy disabled persons. i) To create an enabling environment to ensure equal opportunities, equity, social justice and empowerment of persons with disabilities. ii) To encourage voluntary action for ensuring effective implementation of the People with Disabilities                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 4         | M/o Social Justice and Empowerment (M/o SJE) Scheme of Assistance to Voluntary organisations for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) | (Equal Opportunities and Protection of Rights) Act of 1995 Target Group: persons with disabilities i) To create awareness and educate people about the ill-effects of alcoholism and substance abuse on the individual, the family, the workplace and society at large; ii) To provide for the whole range of community based services                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|           | Abuse M/o Social Justice and Empowerment (M/o SJE)                                                                                             | for the identification, motivation, counselling, de-addiction, after care and rehabilitation for Whole Person Recovery (WPR) of addicts to make a person drug free, crime free and gainfully employed. iii) To alleviate the consequences of drug and alcohol dependence amongst the individual, the family and society at large; Target Groups : All victims of alcohol and substance (drugs) abuse with a special focus on children including street children, both in and out of school; adolescents/Youth; dependent women and young girls, affected by substance abuse; high risk groups such as sex workers, Injecting Drug Users (IDUs), drivers etc. and prison inmates in detention facilities including children in juvenile homes addicted to drugs. |

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Scheme/ Ministry                                                                                       | Objective                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | 2                                                                                                                  | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|         5 | Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNTs M/o Social Justice and Empowerment (M/o SJE)          | The scheme is basically to encourage and spread education amongst the children of DNTs by providing them pre-matric (I- X) and post-matric (XI onwards) scholarship. Target Group: Children of DNTs(Notified & De notified Tribes).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|         6 | Scheme for Transgender Persons M/o Social Justice and Empowerment (M/o SJE)                                        | The Umbrella Scheme will have the following five components: i) Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Pre-Matric scholarship for Transgender students from class VII to X. ii) Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Post-Matric scholarship for Transgender students (XI and above) iii) Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Assistance for skill development of Transgender persons. iv) Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Pension for Transgender persons above 40 years up to 60 years. v) Central Sector Scheme of Financial support to the Parents of Transgender Children.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|         7 | National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare                                | Target Group: Transgender persons and their children. i) Decentralized integrated leprosy services through General Health Care system. ii) Early detection &complete treatment of new leprosy cases. iii) Carrying out house hold contact survey in detection of Multibacillary (MB) &child cases. iv) Early diagnosis &prompt MDT, through routine and special efforts v) Involvement of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the detection &complete treatment of Leprosy cases for leprosy work vi) Strengthening of Disability Prevention &Medical Rehabilitation (DPMR) services. vii) Information, Education &Communication (IEC) activities in the community to improve self reporting to Primary Health Centre (PHC) and reduction of stigma. viii) Intensive monitoring and supervision at Primary Health Centre/Community Health Centre. |
|         8 | Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY- NULM) M/o Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation | To reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by enabling them to access gainful self employment and skilled wage employment opportunities mainly by providing skill training and credit facilities. Target Groups: Urban Poor living below poverty line with special attention to women, persons belonging to Scheduled Castes/ Tribes, disabled person.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Scheme/ Ministry                                                            | Objective                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | 2                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|         9 | Integrated Child Development Programme (ICDS) M/o Women and Child Development (M/o WCD) | The ICDS Scheme offers a package of six services, viz. Supplementary Nutrition, Pre-school non-formal education, Nutrition &health education, Immunization, Health check-up and, Referral services Target Groups: children below six years, pregnant women and nursing mothers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        10 | Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) M/o Women and Child Development (M/o WCD)     | i) To institutionalize essential services and strengthen structures for emergency outreach, institutional care, family and community based care, counselling and support services at the national, regional, state and district levels; ii) To enhance capacities at all levels, of all functionaries including, administrators and service providers, local bodies, police, judiciary and other concerned departments of State Governments to undertake responsibilities under the ICPS; iii) To create database and knowledge base for child protection services; iv) To ensure appropriate inter-sectoral response at all levels, coordinate and network with all allied systems; v) To raise public awareness, educate public on child rights and protection; Target Groups: i) The ICPS will focus its activities on children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with law. ii) Vulnerable children including, but not limited, to: children of potentially vulnerable families and families at risk, children of socially excluded groups like migrant families, families living in extreme poverty, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, families subjected to or affected by discrimination, minorities, children infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, child drug abusers, children of substance abusers, child beggars, trafficked or sexually exploited children, children of prisoners, and street and working children. |
|        11 | SWADHAR Greh M/o Women and Child Development (M/o WCD)                                  | i) To cater to the primary need of shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment and care of the women in distress and who are without any social and economic support. ii) To enable them to regain their emotional strength that gets hampered due to their encounter with unfortunate circumstances. iii) To provide them with legal aid and guidance to enable them to take steps for their readjustment in family/society. iv) To rehabilitate them economically and emotionally. v) To enable them to start their life afresh with dignity and conviction.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Scheme/ Ministry                                                                                | Objective                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | 2                                                                                                           | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 12        | Deendayal Antayodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY- NRLM). M/o Rural Development (M/o RD) | social and economic support; v) Women victims of domestic violence, family tension or discord, who are made to leave their homes without any means of subsistence and have no special protection from exploitation and/ or facing litigation on account of marital disputes; and vi) Trafficked women/girls rescued or runaway from brothels or Women affected by HIV/AIDS who do not have any social or economic support. To reduce poverty by enabling the poor households to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots institutions of the poor. Target Group: Poor families living below poverty line in rural areas. |
| 13        | Mahatmaa Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme(MGNREGA) M/o Rural Development (M/o RD)       | The objective of the Act is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Target Group : adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 14        | National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) M/o Rural Development (M/o RD)                                  | To provide public assistance to its citizens in the case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement. Target Group: the scheme targets the destitutes, defined as any person who has little or no regular means of subsistence from his / her own source of income or through financial support from family members or other sources, to be identified by the States and UTs, with the objective of providing a basic level of financial support.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 14 (a)    | Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)                                                     | The eligible age for IGNOAPSis 60 years. The pension is Rs.200 p.m. for persons between 60 years and 79 years. For persons who are 80 years and above the pension is Rs.500/- per month.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 14 (b)    | Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS)                                                        | The eligible age is 40 years and the pension is Rs.300 per month. After attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs.500/- per month.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Scheme/ Ministry                       | Objective                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | 2                                                  | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| 14 (c)    | Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) | The eligible age for the pensioner is 18 years and above and the disability level has to be 80%. The amount is Rs.300 per month and after attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs.500/- per month. Dwarfs will also be an eligible category for this pension. |
| 14 (d)    | National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS)              | Rs. 20000/- will be given as a lumpsum assistance to the bereaved household in the event of death of the bread-winner. It is clarified that any event of death (natural or otherwise) would make the family eligible for assistance.                                             |
| 14(e)     | Annapurna Scheme                                   | Under the scheme, 10 kg of food grains per month are provided free of cost to those senior citizens who, though eligible, have remained uncovered under NOAPS.                                                                                                                   |

Source: Union Budget document 2018-19 and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for NLEP.

Annexure referred  to  in  reply  to  Parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  68*  to  be answered on 07.02.2018 regarding Beggar Free Nation by Shrimati P.K. Sreemathi Teacher, MP

- A. Number of cases reported under Section 363A of IPC: Kidnapping & Abduction of Children for the purpose of Begging (Children upto 18 Years) during 2014-2016

| State/UT   | 2014   | 2014   | 2014   | 2015   | 2015   | 2015   | 2016   | 2016   | 2016   |
|------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| State/UT   | Boys   | Girls  | Total  | Boys   | Girls  | Total  | Boys   | Girls  | Total  |
| ALL INDIA  | 10     | 6      | 16     | 30     | 22     | 52     | 29     | 15     | 44     |

Source: Crime in India, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

## B. No. of persons prosecuted, convicted and amount realised for Hawking and begging under Railways Act 1989 (section 144)

| Period                       |   No. of persons prosecuted |   No. of persons convicted |   Amount of Fine (in Rs. crore) |
|------------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 2015-16                      |                      204867 |                     172747 |                            9.28 |
| 2016-17                      |                      226442 |                     195842 |                           10.12 |
| 2017-18 (upto December 2017) |                      184703 |                     163478 |                           10.12 |

Source: Ministry of Railways.

Annexure referred  to  in  reply  to  Parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  68*  to  be answered on 07.02.2018 regarding Beggar Free Nation by Shrimati P.K. Sreemathi Teacher, MP

## List of States/UTs having their own anti-begging legislations

|   Sl.No. | States/Union Territories States   | Legislation in Force                                                                                                                                                       |
|----------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh                    | The Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Beggary Act, 1977                                                                                                                         |
|        2 | Assam                             | The Assam Prevention of Begging Act, 1964                                                                                                                                  |
|        3 | Bihar                             | The Bihar Prevention of Begging Act, 1951                                                                                                                                  |
|        4 | Chhattisgarh                      | Adopted the Madhya Pradesh Bikshavirty Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1973                                                                                                             |
|        5 | Goa                               | The Goa, Daman &Diu Prevention of Begging Act, 1972                                                                                                                        |
|        6 | Gujarat                           | Adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959                                                                                                                         |
|        7 | Haryana                           | The Haryana Prevention of Begging Act, 1971                                                                                                                                |
|        8 | Himachal Pradesh                  | The Himachal Pradesh Prevention of Begging Act, 1979                                                                                                                       |
|        9 | Jammu &Kashmir                    | The J&K Prevention of Begging Act, 1960                                                                                                                                    |
|       10 | Jharkhand                         | Adopted the Bihar Prevention of Begging Act, 1951                                                                                                                          |
|       11 | Karnataka                         | The Karnataka Prevention of Begging Act, 1975                                                                                                                              |
|       12 | Kerala                            | The Madras Prevention of Begging Act, 1945, the Travancore Prevention of Begging Act, 1120 and the Cochin Vagrancy Act, 1120 are in force in different areas of the State. |
|       13 | Madhya Pradesh                    | The Madhya Pradesh Bikshavirty Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1973                                                                                                                     |
|       14 | Maharashtra                       | The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959                                                                                                                                 |
|       15 | Punjab                            | The Punjab Prevention of Begging Act, 1971                                                                                                                                 |
|       16 | Sikkim                            | The Sikkim Prohibition of Beggary Act, 2004                                                                                                                                |
|       17 | Tamil Nadu                        | The Madras Prevention of Begging Act, 1945                                                                                                                                 |
|       18 | Uttar Pradesh                     | The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Begging Act, 1972                                                                                                                         |
|       19 | Uttarakhand                       | Adopted the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Begging Act, 1972                                                                                                                 |
|       20 | West Bengal                       | The West Bengal Vagrancy Act, 1943                                                                                                                                         |
|       21 | Daman &Diu                        | The Goa, Daman &Diu Prevention of Begging Act, 1972                                                                                                                        |
|       22 | Delhi                             | Adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959                                                                                                                         |
|       23 | Rajasthan                         | No Act. Anti-Beggary measures are being implemented through executive order                                                                                                |
|       24 | Puduchery                         | No Act. Anti-Beggary measures are being implemented through executive order                                                                                                |

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