Question : Prevention of Begging and Drug Addiction

(a) whether the Government has conducted any survey to find out the number of children begging on roads in various parts of the country including the NCT of Delhi;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the measures being taken for rehabilitation of such children, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government is aware that drug-addiction is increasing among the said children;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(e) whether the Government proposes to formulate any comprehensive action plan for such children and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)

(a) to (d)The Office of Registrar General of India (RGI) has informed that they have not conducted any survey to find out the number of children begging on roads. However, in decennial Population Census conducted by the Office of RGI, data are collected on workers/non-workers, among other parameters, on all persons living in different parts of the country. This includes data on beggars who have been identified along with vagrants etc. who are engaged in begging as a non-economically productive work/activity amongst the marginal workers and non-workers. A statement giving state-wise total population of child beggars below 15 years of age, as per Census 2011, is enclosed as Annexure.

Further, Department of Women and Child Development, Govt. of NCT of Delhi has also informed that no such survey has been conducted by the Delhi Government in Delhi till now. However, Delhi Govt. in association with Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India, has initiated a survey on mapping and size estimation of street children who abuse any kind of substance, through All India Institute of Medical Sciences in September 2015.

(e) The States are responsible for taking necessary preventive and rehabilitative steps. As per available information, 20 States and 2 Union Territories have either enacted their own Anti-Beggary Legislation or adopted legislations enacted by other States/UTs. Presently, there is no scheme of the Central Government on Beggary. National Consultation Meetings were held with the representatives of Central/State Governments, NGOs, Institutes and Individual Experts in the field of Beggary to discuss the issues related to Beggary. In these meetings, it was, inter-alia, recommended to explore the feasibility of framing a Central Scheme for rehabilitation of Beggars. Accordingly, a Scheme for Protection, Care and Rehabilitation of Destitutes is under formulation.