Hyderabad: Speakers at a workshop with various stakeholders towards a national campaign for comprehensive rehabilitation of people involved in begging held here felt the problem of beggary is a major concern warranting urgent attention and intervention in view of the increasing numbers, especially of children and women. It was also felt that regular convergence and coordination committee meetings should be conducted and beggary regulations should be enforced strictly.
Speaking on the occasion, R Subramanyam, Secretary, Union Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, observed that the greatness of the city will be measured by the way it takes care of its poorest of the poor. He complimented Hyderabad city for taking up 2-BHK and Annapurna schemes which are role models for the rest of the country. The success of Hyderabad city in successfully implementing these schemes has resulted in the Government of India choosing the city for the pilot project towards comprehensive rescue and rehabilitation of the persons involved in begging.
Subramanyam said the Centre would provide Rs 10 crore for the project. He urged the officials and stakeholders to prepare a city action plan, which should be implemented from April 2020. Moving away from crime and pity, involving community into the forefront, providing shelter to the homeless, access to medical services and providing sustainable livelihood to the beggars should be discussed and deliberated in the workshop, he suggested.
Radhika Chakravarthy, Joint Secretary, said a strategy was formulated at the national level after discussing with social activists, academicians, NGOs and other stakeholders involved in the rehabilitation of beggars and as a result 10 cities across the country, including Hyderabad, were identified for the pilot project. She underlined the need for convergence of all line departments and suggested specialized activities be taken up for physically handicapped, senior citizens, women, and children involved in begging. The city action plan should include survey and identification of beggars, mobilization, setting up shelter homes and comprehensive resettlement, which should also include providing health care, education to the children and skill development training to take up economic activity.
GHMC Deputy Mayor Fasiuddin while expressing concern over the problem of begging in cities, said 150 Annapurna centers across the city were providing meals at Rs 5 daily.
In his inaugural remarks, Municipal Administration Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar assured that the GHMC would cooperate with the Centre and wholeheartedly support the program. The problem of begging is a crucial one but very often neglected. He urged various stakeholders present in the workshop to suggest viable economic options to be taken up for uplifting the persons involved in begging. He recalled that in 2005-06 when he was Collector of Hyderabad, a survey, along with the socio-economic profile of persons involved in begging, was done. Various initiatives towards beggar-free Hyderabad were also taken up after the formation of Telangana State, he said, adding that 17 shelter homes were equipped with sufficient infrastructure and basic facilities and serving the need as short-stay homes.
Ranga Reddy District Additional Collector Harish, GHMC Addl. Commissioners B. Santhosh, Rahul Raj, J. Shankaraiah, UCD Project Director D. Sowjanya, DCP Traffic D.S. Chouhan, NGOs, and others were present.
SOURCE: NSS
