Lok Sabha Question No. 1153 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Child Beggars
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Gomati Sai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1153 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2021

## CHILD BEGGARS

## +1153. SHRIMATI GOMATI SAI:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any attention towards the children begging o streets and footpaths in the country, particularly in Chhattisgarh during the COVID-19 period; paid
- (6) if so, the details thereof the efforts made by the Government to improve such childrents livelihood; and and being
- the details of funds allotted to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) during the last five years for the rehabilitation of destitute women and children, Statel NGO-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI A: NARAYANASWAMY)

(a) & (b) Yes Sir: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a scheme SSMILE Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise" \_ which includes sub-scheme 'Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging' This scheme covers several  comprehensive measures including welfare measures   for persons who are engaged in the act of begging: The focus of the scheme is extensively on rehabilitation; provision of medical facilities, counseling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic linkages and so on. The scheme would be implemented with the   support  of StatelUT Governments/Local Urban   Bodies,  Voluntary   Organizations; Community Based Organizations (CBOs), institutions and others Scheme provides for the use of the existing shelter homes available with the StateUT Governments and Urban local bodies for rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of Begging

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has also initiated pilot projects on Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons engaged in the act of Begging in ten cities namely Delhi, Bangalore, are  being implemented in these   cities by State   GovernmentsMUTs/Local Urban Bodies  and Voluntary Organizations. Several comprehensive measures including survey and identification, mobilization basic hygiene and medical facilities, providing basic documentation, counseling, rehabilitation, education, skill  development and sustainable settlement of persons engaged in begging are being undertaken under these pilots.

- Further; the Department of School Education & Literacy in partnership with the States and UT Governments have taken steps to ensure that the children into begging are released and enrolled in schools to complete their elementary education.
- (c): No funds are being allotted to NGOs for rehabilitation of destitute women and children by this Ministry: However; the Ministry of Women and Child Development supports the States [UTs either by themselves or in association with voluntary organisations for providing institutional care for destitute children covering age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counseling etc. The details of funds  released to States UTs under this programme during last five years is enclosed

Annexure referred to in reply\_ to part (d 0f Lok Sabha Beggars'

| 0   |                          | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | 2019-20   |
|-----|--------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
|     | Andhra Pradesh           | 238.58    | 110.74    | 1469.88   | 1870.01   | 1373.53   |
| 2   | Arunachal Pradesh        | 571.68    | 52.29     | 643.71    | 37.63     | 1174.11   |
| 3   | Assam                    | 597.90    | 413.64    | 2932.68   | 3379.63   | 3363.95   |
| 4   | Bihar                    | 2687.89   | 2787.92   | 541.56    | 2621.87   | 1405.39   |
| 5   | Chattisgarh              | 3955.55   | 527.77    | 3181.97   | 2151.01   | 2098.74   |
| 6   | Goa                      | 235.25    | 36.83     | 728.53    | 16.03     | 19.63     |
| 7   | Gujarat                  | 2328.90   |           | 590.11    | 2251.55   | 2146.27   |
| 8   | [Haryana                 | 496.44    | 0.00      | 1858.22   | 1387.60   | 2217.99   |
| 9   | Himachal Pradesh         | 604.04    | 2345.48   | 1835.01   | 1342.64   | 1607.40   |
| 10  | Jammu & Kashmir          | 113.35    | 43.12     | 807.48    | 2106.94   | 1225.16   |
| 11  | Jharkhand                | 369.88    | 840.11    | 1714.57   | 1480.26   | 1845.80   |
| 12  | Karnataka                | 1845.24   | 3720.80   | 3272.45   | 4022.56   | 3290.45   |
| 13  | Kerala                   | 944.39    | 260.50    | 1849.45   | 1263.77   | 1519.74   |
| 14  | Madhya Pradesh           | 1116.03   | 2503.88   | 3262.77   | 2959.23   | 3052.72   |
| 15  | Maharashtra              | 3138.75   | 2272.33   | 608.15    | 3156.52   | 2449.63   |
| 16  | Manipur                  | 3082.18   | 241.34    | 1886.33   | 3866.99   | 3102.72   |
| 17  | Meghalaya                | 1469.55   | 2060.33   | 1846.60   | 2254.51   | 2241.71   |
| 18  | Mizoram                  | 2079.44   | 1949.55   | 1917.51   | 2042.28   | 2530.43   |
| 19  | Nagaland                 | 2257.65   | 1350.37   | 1457.45   | 1787.12   | 2085.95   |
| 20  | Orissa                   | 3309.07   | 1089.22   | 2599.30   | 4352.44   | 3541.66   |
| 21  | Punjab                   | 820.81    | 581.67    | 143.24    | 1244.17   | 722.00    |
| 22  | Rajasthan                | 3258.92   | 0.00      | 4752.30   | 3584.72   | 3195.88   |
| 23  | [Sikkim                  | 562.00    | 601.18    | 662.76    | 379.25    | 662.51    |
| 24  | Tamil Nadu               | 825.04    | 13039.37  | 2013.12   | 7895.14   | 14915.36  |
| 25  | Telangana                | 354.88    | 195.64    | 894.82    | 1329.23   | 1726.38   |
| 26  | Tripura                  | 710.63    | 676.04    | 446.81    | 885.77    | 879.61    |
| 27  | Uttar Pradesh            | 2884.18   | 3207.19   | 1830.67   | 7834.39   | 4277.72   |
| 28  | Uttarakhand              | 66.88     | 15.54     | 907.57    | 1344.40   | 918.58    |
| 29  | West Bengal              | 508.67    | 6763.87   | 5073.56   | 2372.13   | 2815.10   |
| 30  | Andaman & Nicobar Island | 36.03     | 36.88     | 31.66     | 218.85    | 329.62    |
| 31  | Chandigarh               | 357.82    | 245.44    | 194.32    | 577.58    | 0.00      |
| 32  |                          | 58.66     | 177.59    | 24.82     | 11.24     | 193.97    |
|     | Daman & Diu              | 82.82     | 126.42    | 21.89     | 18.42     | 141.79    |
| 33  | Delhi                    | 1363.40   | 978.64    | 354.33    | 1007.39   | 972.86    |
| 34  | Lakshadweep              | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      |
| 35  | Ladakh                   |           |           |           |           |           |
| 36  | Puducherry               | 559.60    | 826.33    |           | 398.43    | 501.96    |
|     | Total                    | 43892.10  | 50847.97  | 52469.95  | 73451.70  | 74546.32  |

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