The cleanest city in India, Indore, is taking a drastic step in its mission to eliminate begging. Starting January 1, the district administration will register FIRs against anyone who gives money to beggars. District collector Ashish Singh announced that the city had already implemented a ban on begging. “Our awareness campaign against begging will continue until the end of this month. If anybody is found giving alms from January 1, an FIR will be filed,” he stated. “I appeal to all residents of Indore not to become partners in the sin by giving alms to people,” Singh added.
This is part of a rehabilitation pilot project by the central government targeting beggars in places such as Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, and Ahmedabad.
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Some shocking facts have come to the fore through the anti-begging initiative. Project officer Dinesh Mishra shared, “When we prepare reports, we find some beggars have a pucca house, and others’ children work in a bank. Once we found ₹29,000 on a beggar. Another beggar loaned money and claimed interest. One gang brought children from Rajasthan to beg here. They were rescued from a hotel where they were staying.”
Madhya Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha said an Indore-based organization is helping in the efforts. “The organization will provide shelter for six months and help find work for the beggars. We are working tirelessly to free people from begging,” he said.
