The Government of India has targeted 30 cities with the goal of completely eliminating street beggary in those urban areas by 2026. The country’s Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprises (SMILE) initiative will include a rehabilitation program specifically designed for street beggars.
According to local media reports, 25 out of 30 specified cities have submitted an action plan and have already started conducting surveys among the begging community. These surveys aim to gather information about their desired livelihood options. The report further explained that the plan comprises a survey, mobilization, relocation to a shelter, and a comprehensive rehabilitation program encompassing education, skill development, and employment opportunities.
Ayodhya , the town in Uttar Pradesh state where Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Ram, is among the ten locations of spiritual and religious importance listed in the project. The list also includes Guwahati, Madurai, Srinagar, Puducherry, Shimla, Mysuru, and Jaisalmer, among other cities.
In the upcoming month, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in India will introduce a nationwide website and mobile app to store information about individuals involved in begging. The federal government will provide the necessary funding for implementing this initiative. According to the 2011 census, India identified more than 400,000 individuals as beggars and vagrants within the country.
The country’s government aims to reduce the population of impoverished individuals on its streets amidst a period of significant growth in India’s gross domestic product (GDP). Projections from December last year anticipate India becoming the world’s third-largest economy by 2030, while also maintaining its position as the fastest-growing economy in the next three years.
In recent years, unemployment in India, which has been a significant concern for the government, has shown a downward trend. According to the Periodic Labor Force Survey Annual Report 2022-2023, the unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above reached a six-year low of 3.2% from July 2022 to June 2023.
According to a report from a government advisory body, India managed to reduce poverty for 135 million people within the past five years. The report, released in July, evaluated the extent of deprivation in healthcare, education, and living standards based on parameters approved by the UN. In 2022, the poverty rate in India stood at approximately 15%, a significant improvement from the 24.8% recorded in 2015-16.