Indore Launches Strict Measures to Become a 'Beggar-Free' City

Indore is intensifying its efforts to become a 'beggar-free city,' with strict actions planned against beggars and people giving alms. This initiative is part of a nationwide project by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, aiming to make ten cities in India free from begging.

Indore Collector Ashish Singh announced that an awareness campaign against begging will continue until the end of December 2024. Starting January 1, 2025, authorities will take strict action. Beggars will be sent to shelters, and those giving alms will face legal consequences. Singh emphasized that anyone caught giving money to beggars could be charged, with an FIR filed against them.

Singh urged the public to support the initiative, asking residents not to encourage begging by giving money. Recent raids have revealed that some beggars have turned begging into a full-time occupation. In one case, a woman was found with Rs 75,000, and another beggar had more than Rs 1 lakh. These findings show that some individuals are making a significant amount of money from begging.

To address this, the administration has already started rehabilitating beggars. Many have been sent to shelters like Seva Dham Ashram in Ujjain, where they receive support and skill-based training. Some beggars will also be trained for self-employment to help them become independent.

The authorities are also cracking down on organized begging gangs. These gangs force people to beg, and many beggars come from neighboring states. They set up camps at various intersections, but the administration is taking action to remove them.

The goal is to clean up the city and address the root causes of begging. The authorities are determined to make Indore a model beggar-free city, and residents are encouraged to cooperate as stricter measures take effect in the new year.