The ‘Advisory for the Protection and Rehabilitation of Impoverished, Uneducated Children, Women, and Differently-abled Individuals Engaged in Begging’ identifies eight key areas for action by Centre and State governments and UT administrations. 

• As per the 2011 census, there were more than 413 thousand beggars and vagrants in India. 

Key Action Areas

• Survey, identification, Mapping and preparing Data Bank for building a national database.
• Rehabilitation of individuals engaged in beggary through Shelter homes, education, and necessary assistance. 
• Healthcare: Mental health care, de-addiction and healthcare services in shelter homes.
• Education: Early childhood care (Article 45) and Free and compulsory education (Article 21A).
• Drafting a National Policy for the protection and rehabilitation of individuals involved in beggary and decriminalising begging.
• Collaboration with NGOs, civil society organisations, private sector, charitable trusts for skill training programmes.
• Access to financial services through Self-help Groups (SHGs).
• Awareness generation, sensitization and monitoring.

Issues associated with Beggary

• Beggary is a socio-economic issue caused by poverty, lack of education, and limited employment opportunities. 
• As a result of societal neglect, physically challenged individuals have to depend on others for survival and daily sustenance.
• Systemic deficiencies and structural inequalities perpetuate poverty.
• Organized groups often manipulate vulnerable children into begging.