The Indore campaign has indeed brought some very shocking revelations of the condition of such begging people.
To make Indore, the cleanest city in India, a completely beggar-free city, the authorities have now decided to adopt bold and controversial measures for this purpose. Thus, from January 1, anyone who gives money to a beggar will be prosecuted according to the law.
The action of this new initiative has been done by District Collector Ashish Singh in the media. “We have already issued an order banning begging in Indore,” he said. “Our awareness campaign will continue till the end of this month, and from January 1, if anyone is seen giving alms, an FIR will be registered against them.” He asked the citizens to reconsider their actions, stating: “I appeal to all the residents of Indore not to be partakers of the sin by donating to people.”
“This initiative is part of the central government’s larger pilot project to rehabilitate beggars in ten cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and others under which it aims to address the visible and invisible challenges of begging and provision of alternative cities.”
The Indore campaign has indeed brought some very shocking revelations of the condition of such begging people. “Some beggars have nice homes, others have children working in banks. Once we met a beggar with Rs 29,000. Another borrowed money and earned interest. We also rescued a group from Rajasthan, who brought children to beg. A hotel.”
Going along with the initiative is an Indore-based organization, which is willing to provide shelter for six months and find jobs for those affected. Madhya Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha spoke at length about what the government would do in this regard. “We are really trying hard to free people from begging,” he said.
This new ordinance is, of course, the subject of debate that mixes tougher laws and proposals for redefinition with supposed rehabilitation as Indore begins to take its roads seriously.