3 days ago
Haryana to create roadmap to eradicate child begging
State launches SMILE-backed rescue and rehabilitation drive The meeting recognised that begging in many urban centres operates under well-structured rackets, exploiting children as income sources.
In a move to dismantle organised begging rackets and protect vulnerable children from exploitation, the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) has rolled out a state-backed rescue and rehabilitation initiative under the Union government's SMILE scheme (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise).
A state-level inter-departmental meeting, chaired by additional chief secretary (women and child development department) Sudhir Rajpal, brought together top police, child protection, health, labour, and social welfare officers to target the root causes of child begging and create a clear roadmap for its eradication.
Rajpal said that child begging is not an isolated act of poverty in many cases, it is a criminally organised industry where children are forced into the streets by cartels, traffickers, or even relatives for monetary gain. 'It strips children of education, exposes them to abuse, and traps them in lifelong cycles of vulnerability,' he said.
Three phases to break the cycle
The first phase is mapping the problem; joint mapping of begging hotspots — traffic lights, religious places, and markets —by district administration, WCD, and NGOs, headcount of child beggars and identification of orphans, abandoned children, or those without family support. The second phase is rescue and protection; while in the third phase focus will be on long-term rehabilitation and tracking, regular monitoring of rehabilitated children and education.
The meeting recognised that begging in many urban centres operates under well-structured rackets, exploiting children as income sources.
Rajpal said that child begging is an exploitation of innocence and a violation of basic human rights. 'Haryana is committed to breaking this vicious cycle through rescue, rehabilitation, and strict action against those who profit from it,' Rajpal said, adding that a follow-up meeting will be held in 15 days to assess progress, review the first rescue operations, and finalise strategies for scaling the model across the state.
