Lok Sabha Question No. 439 (STARRED), answered on 2022-04-01
Subject: Children Involved in Begging
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.439

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2022

## CHILDREN INVOLVED IN BEGGING

- *439. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state :

- (a) whether the Government has any data on the number of child beggars in  the country, especially in Delhi who come under the category of Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the measures adopted by the Government to provide institutional as well as noninstitutional care to these children; and
- (c) the impact of pandemic on the number and condition of child beggars in Delhi and  the  efforts  made  by  the  Delhi  Commission  for  Protection  of  Child  Rights (DCPCR) in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (c) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (C)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.439 FOR ANSWER ON 01.04.2022 RAISED BY SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA REGARDING CHILDREN INVOLVED IN BEGGING

(a) : As informed by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the data of identified children in street situations is uploaded on Baal Swaraj Portal CISS by the States / UTs including Delhi, in compliance to the directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court, which also includes the data of children involved in begging. The number  of  children  (All  States/UTs)  who  are  involved  in  begging  as  per  data uploaded on the portal is 3808 as on 15.03.2022. Out of these, 355 children are from Delhi.

As informed by Government of NCT of Delhi, 4871 children are engaged in the act  of  begging  in  Delhi  (as  on  September,  2021).  The  Department  of  Social Welfare,  Government  of  NCT  of  Delhi  had  commissioned  a  survey  on  persons engaged  in  begging  in  February,  2021.  The  survey  report  was  submitted  by Institute  for  Human  Development  (IHD)  in  September,  2021.  Delhi  till  date  has uploaded  the  information  of  only  355  children  whereas  their  survey  has  found larger number of children involved in begging.

(b)  :  The  Ministry  is  implementing  a  centrally  sponsored  scheme  namely  Child Protection  Services  (CPS)  Scheme  -  Mission  Vatsalya  under  which  support  is provided to States and UT Governments for delivering services for children in need and difficult circumstances.  The Child Care Institutions (CCIs) established under the CPS scheme to provide Institutional Care to children which inter-alia provides age-appropriate education,  access  to  vocational  training,  recreation,  health  care, counselling  etc.  and  covers  both  rural  and  urban  children.   CPS  scheme  also provides  family  basis  non-institutional  care  through  sponsorship,  foster  care  and after care programmes.

(c) : As informed by the Government of NCT of Delhi, all the Government run CCIs are  providing  various  types  of  services  such  as,  education,  skill  development  & vocational training, counseling, recreational facilities, sports facilities, infrastructure facilities,  medical  facilities  etc.  Further,  a  Drug  de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centre for children in conflict with law has been set up which provides de-addiction services  to  the  Juveniles.    Further,  Delhi  Commission  for  Protection  of  Child Rights (DCPCR) has informed that no study has been conducted to measure the exact impact of COVID-19 on child beggars by DCPCR.

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