CHILD BEGGING AND REHABILITATION OF AFFECTED CHILDREN

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the Central Sector Scheme "Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE)", which includes a sub-scheme for the Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Engaged in the Act of Begging. This sub-scheme is implemented through the Implementing Authorities, namely District Administrations / Urban Local Bodies/ Municipal Corporations and Implementing Agencies (IAs) working in the field of beggary prevention. The sub-scheme focuses on extensive welfare measures such as medical facilities, counselling, education and skill development, adopting an effective convergence approach for sustainable rehabilitation and socio-economic development of persons engaged in begging including women and children.

The scheme gives special attention to children engaged in begging. Selected IAs organise outreach camps to create awareness and motivate children and their parents or families to enroll in schools, obtain Aadhaar cards, and access medical assistance wherever required. Identified children are reunited with their parents or families, wherever feasible and efforts are made to link them with Anganwadi centres and Government schools.

In addition, orphan children engaged in begging are provided institutional care through Child Care Institutions (CCIs) under the Mission Vatsalya Scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). These Institutions provide age-appropriate education, vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling and other support services.

Under this sub-scheme, a total of 2,480 children found engaged in begging have been rehabilitated so far. Out of these, 1,468 children have been reunited with their parents or families, 277 children have been linked to Anganwadi Centres, 223 children have been referred to the Child Welfare Committee and 512 children have been facilitated for enrolment in schools.

This information is given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri B.L. Verma, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

*****

KV/HK