Question : BEGGING BY CHILDREN

(a) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn towards the rise in the number of smackers and incidents of begging including by small children at the road crossings of metropolitan cities in the country including the National Capital Territory of Delhi;

(b) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether there are reports that several gangs are active in the country who are using children for begging and these gangs abduct innocent children, mutilate them and force them into begging;

(d) if so, the total number of such cases reported, guilty persons arrested, gangs busted and the action taken against them during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise including metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata; and

(e) the corrective steps taken by the Government to check such cases in future along with the details of advisories issued to the States and Police Departments in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) & (b): As per information available, no data on smackers and children involved in begging is maintained centrally. Presently there is no central legislation on beggary. However, the children who are engaged in begging activities are treated as children in need of Care and Protection under the provision of Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the District Child Welfare Committee deals with such cases and rehabilitates them through “Integrated Child Protection Scheme` (ICPS) being implemented by Ministry of Women & Child Development.

(c) to (e) No such specific report indicating gangs active in the racket of kidnapping and abduction has come to the notice of the Government.

As for persons committing the heinous crime of forcing children to begging there are provisions within Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. The sub-section (1) of Section 24 of the J. J. Act, 2000 provides that whoever employs or uses any juvenile or the child for the purpose or causes any juvenile to beg shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine. Further, sub-section (2) provides that whoever, having the actual charge of, or control over, a juvenile or the child abets the commission of the offence punishable under sub-section (1), shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and shall also be liable to fine.

Ministry of Home Affairs on 14.07.2010 has issued an Advisory to States/UTs to prevent crimes against children, wherein States/UTs were advised to enforce legislations relating to crimes against children like Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 etc.