ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)
(a) : As per Census 2011, the total number of child beggars, vagrants etc, who were below 15 years of age in Delhi was 290 of which 152 were boys and 138 were girls.
(b) : As per entry No. 9 of State List in the 7th Schedule of the Constitution of India, the subject matter of "Relief of the disabled and unemployable" is a State subject. The States are responsible for taking necessary preventive and rehabilitative steps to eradicate beggary.
Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India has stated that they are implementing the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and in the said Act, a separate chapter has been added in which a stringent penalty shall be imposed on whoever employs or uses any child for the purpose of begging or causes any child to beg. The primary responsibility of execution of the Act lies with the States/UTs. The Act provides a security net of service delivery structures including measures for institutional and non-institutional care to ensure comprehensive well being of children in distress situations. Ministry of Women and Child Development is also implementing a centrally sponsored Child Protection Service (CPS) Scheme for supporting the children in difficult circumstance. The primary responsibility of implementation of the Scheme lies with the State/UT Administrations. Under the scheme institutional care is provided through Child Care Institutes, as a rehabilitative measure. The programmes and activities in Homes inter-alia include age-appropriate education, access to vocational training recreation, health care, counseling etc. Under the non-institutional care component, support is extended for adoption, foster care and sponsorship.
The Department of Women & Child Development, Govt. of NCT of Delhi has informed that Department of Women & Child Development is the Nodal Department for Implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015 & Model Rules, 2016 thereunder. The Child Beggars are covered under the category of children in need of care and protection as per Juvenile Justice Act.
Whenever child found begging is produced by the Police or Childline or NGO or any other person, the same is produced before the Child Welfare Committee setup in the concerned District under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. The concerned Child
Welfare Committee takes decision in the best interest of the child keeping in view of his/her socioeconomic circumstances being the Competent Authority. If required such children are also housed in the Child Care Institutions setup by the Department of Women and Child Development, GNCT of Delhi, or NGOs wherein they are provided with all basic requirements of boarding, lodging, psychological and mental care, formal and non-formal education along with efforts made to mainstream them into the society. This is a continuous process to elevate the conditions of the child beggars and to mainstream them into the society
(c): No separate budget allocation for Social development of Child beggars is made by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment. However, during FY 2019-20, an allocation of Rs. 25 Cr. has been made for Integrated Programme for Rehabilitation of Beggars.
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