India’s First Beggar-Free City

Current Context : Recently, Indore District Magistrate Ashish Singh announced that Indore had become the country’s first beggar-free city after rehabilitating ~5,000 beggars through employment and education initiatives.

Campaign Details

• Launch: February 2024 under the Union Ministry of Social Justice’s SMILE pilot (10 cities).
• Phases:
  1. Awareness: Public education on organized begging syndicates.
  2. Rehabilitation: Skill training, job placement for adults; school enrolment for children.
  3. Enforcement: Ban on giving alms/buying; ₹1,000 reward for reporting violations; FIRs registered.

Outcomes & Recognition

• Model Initiative: Praised by the Union Ministry and a World Bank team.
• Social Impact: Addressed root causes of begging—poverty, trafficking, addiction—while upholding human dignity.