Question : Homeless People

a) whether there are many homeless people in the country who live in public places like footpaths, flyovers and railway stations etc. and if so, the details thereof;

b) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to rehabilitate these homeless people, particularly children and to provide them skill training and education and if so, the details thereof; and

c) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to stop children from begging and to provide education to them andif so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a): As per census 2011, the total urban houseless population in the country is 9,38,348.

(b): It is the primary responsibility of Governments of the States/Union Territories to provide shelters for the urban homeless. However, in order to complement their efforts, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs is administering ‘Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH)’under
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), through respective States/Union Territories. It focuses on providing permanent shelters equipped with basic facilities to the urban homeless. TheState/UT Project Sanctioning Committee is competent to approve proposals for establishment of shelters.

The shelters are a space for convergence with various schemes, wherein, inter-alia, provisions are availablefor admission of the children of the homeless to government schools, skill training etc.

Further, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) envisages to provide all weather pucca houses with basic civic infrastructures like water, sanitation, sewerage, road, electricity etc. to all eligible urban households.

(c): The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has released an amount of Rs. 100 lakh in 2017-18, Rs. 50lakh in 2018-19 and Rs. 70 lakh in 2019-20 to National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) for skill development programmes for beggars. NBCFDC has, so far, conducted skill development programmes for 400 beggars in different employable sectors. Further, an amount of Rs. 100 lakh has been released to National Institute of Social Defense for welfare activities of beggars.

******