No comprehensive scheme for rehabilitation of beggars, government informs Rajya Sabha

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New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday (March 10) informed the Rajya Sabha that there is no comprehensive scheme for the rehabilitation of persons engaged in begging.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment gave the information in a written reply to the question put forth by Biju Janta Dal (BJP) Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Prasanna Acharaya.

"However, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has undertaken ten pilots in ten cities namely Delhi, Bangaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, Indore, Chennai, Mumbai, and Nagpur, for undertaking a project on comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of begging," the reply added.

Further informing, it said that these pilots are being implemented with support of state governments/UTs/local urban bodies, voluntary organisations.

The Ministry also revealed that as per Census 2011, the total number of beggars, vigrants, etc. in the country is 4,13,670.