Social Justice department brainstorms issues affecting beggars, homeless

NEW DELHI: The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) has hosted a seminar to understand and deliberate on strategies and share knowledge regarding rehabilitating beggars, the homeless, and the destitute in the country.

The seminar in collaboration with the World Bank, was held with the theme ‘Hard to Reach Population – SMILE (Beggary)' in the national capital.

The event, witnessing participation from both national and international experts, formed part of an ongoing knowledge seminar series aimed at deepening dialogue and action to strengthen social protection systems for the most vulnerable sections of society in India.

“We need to hear directly from real stakeholders -- those who have transitioned out of begging -- to understand the root causes and impact of support systems,” said Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, while sharing his vision on inclusive development and disability-friendly outreach.

He also acknowledged the complexity of the issue, touching upon its social, religious, and economic dimensions.

“It is important for individuals to have foundational documentation -- such as having a registered address, a bank account, and access to healthcare -- to enable identification and support in vulnerable conditions,” said Benedicte Leroy De La Briere, Lead Economist, World Bank, while bringing a global lens to the discussion on beggary rehabilitation.

Noting that such events provide valuable grassroots insights and authentic data from the field, La Briere stressed the need to focus discussion on targeted interventions and actionable solutions.

The seminar also featured compelling presentations by nodal officers and grassroots organisations from various states who shared on-the-ground realities, challenges, and success stories in engaging with hard-to-reach populations.

“Approximately 18,000 individuals have been identified under the SMILE initiative, of which 1,612 have already been rehabilitated,” said Ajay Srivastava, Economic Advisor (MoSJ&E). He assured that efforts are underway to accelerate the rehabilitation of the remaining individuals.