Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The district administration in Bhopal has intensified its efforts to address the issue of begging by expanding its search for beggars in settlement areas. The move comes after an ongoing crackdown on begging and alms-giving in the city.
However, efforts to rehabilitate beggars in a newly-constructed 36-bed shelter home in Kolar have faced challenges, as most of them refuse to stay. Despite Bhopal having thousands of beggars across different areas, a recent district survey identified only 242.
On the first day of the initiative, officials rounded up seven beggars, but all of them fled within two days. A similar pattern followed on Thursday when three more beggars were brought to the shelter home but left soon after having a meal at Deen Dayal kitchen. Attempts by shelter home staff to relocate them proved unsuccessful.
Joint Director of Social Justice Department and enforcement team member, RK Singh stated that on Friday, authorities managed to bring in four more beggars from different locations. He added that the administration is now widening its search to smaller settlement colonies in an effort to encourage more beggars to seek rehabilitation.
‘Many beggars have permanent homes’
Bhopal Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh told Free Press that many beggars in the city actually have permanent homes. ‘We cannot force anyone to stay in the shelter home,’ he said. Instead, the administration is focusing on discouraging alms-giving at traffic signals and public places. He also mentioned that advisory measures are being considered to encourage beggars living in settlements to explore better alternatives for their livelihood.
