Indian authorities to intensify anti-begging drive

New Delhi: The Indian capital has over 60,000 beggars and getting them off the streets as the city is cleaned up for the Commonwealth Games is proving to be a cat and mouse game for the Delhi authorities.

As the October mega-event draws near, the social welfare ministry of the Delhi government has said there should be "intensity of action" on the anti-begging drive. Begging is an illegal activity in Delhi.

"The progress on the anti-begging drive in Delhi is far from satisfactory," a senior government official said. In a meeting with enforcement officers, Social Welfare Minister Mangat Ram Singhal asked for a weekly report on the drive. "Much needs to be done," said the official who was part of the meeting.

According to a government estimate, there are around 60,000 beggars in the capital, 30 per cent of whom are below 18 years of age. Around 69.94 per cent are men and 30.06 per cent are women.

NGOs, however, say the actual number of beggars is over 100,000.

With around 100,000 foreign visitors expected to throng the capital during the October 3 to 14 Games, the government has been focussing on the anti-begging drive in areas like New Delhi railway station, Connaught Place, Khan Market and Hanuman Temple.

However, these areas are far from being free of beggars. The present strategy of using vehicles to nab beggars has turned out to be a "complete failure", making the "authorities anxious about how to catch them".