Rehabilitation of beggars: Govt conducts workshop with officials

NEW DELHI: To provide education to the beggars of Delhi, the Delhi government has finalised a concrete plan and conducted a one-day workshop with officials.

As part of the project, the Social Welfare department of Delhi government will rope in NGOs and members of civil society.

After taking charge of the Social Welfare department, minister Rajendra Pal Gautam started various initiatives for beggars.

The Department observed the need for a framework that would create positive responsibilities of the state and provide for more effective protection of rights of the needy, guaranteed under the Constitution, and enable people to move out of vulnerable situations.

A senior official said, "There is a clear recognition that begging is largely an outcome of destitution and a situation of extreme vulnerability. Destitution is multi-dimensional and there is constitutional obligation to protect these persons."

The proposed framework is designed on the principle of dignity and value of an individual.

According to officials, the initiative will allow beggar get a respectable life and become self-sufficient. NGOs like Koshish are helping the Department formulate the plan.

In the one-day workshop, officials discussed the plans with Gautam, whose main focus is to provide education and skill development training to beggars.

The minister directed officials to find out grassroots NGOs and activists, who are working in this sector.

The officials said that the minister wanted to spread education through ground level NGOs and workers.

The ultimate goal of the initiative would be to give rehabilitation, skill training, awareness of health and education, and sanitation.

Earlier Gautam had said, "My goal is to give a dignified life to the beggars. They are a part of our society, but never get focus from the governments."

Gautam added that it would make a huge work force if these people get an education.

Recently, in order to accomodate a larger number of tribal students in the Delhi government's tribal school, the Social Welfare Department decided to upgrade the school, KISS Delhi in Najafgarh, from Class VII to Class XII.