Starting January 1, 2025, handing money to beggars in Indore could land you in legal trouble.
Agencies with inputs from PTI, October 18, 2024 : Starting January 1, 2025, handing money to beggars in Indore could land you in legal trouble. The city’s administration has announced that anyone caught giving alms will have an FIR (First Information Report) filed against them.
Known for its clean streets and progressive initiatives, Indore is now cracking down on begging in public spaces. District Collector Ashish Singh confirmed the move, saying, “Our awareness campaign against begging will go on in the city till the end of this month (December). If any person is found giving alms from January 1, a First Information Report (FIR) will also be registered against him/her.”
Why the tough stance?
The ban on begging is part of a larger effort to clean up the city and tackle organised begging networks. Singh explained that many beggars are part of illegal groups and are forced into this life. “We’ve already broken up several such groups, and a lot of individuals have been rehabilitated,” he said.
He also urged residents to stop giving money to beggars. “I appeal to all residents of Indore not to become partners in the sin by giving alms to people,” Singh added.
Indore’s anti-begging drive
Indore’s anti-begging drive is part of the government’s SMILE project (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise). Launched by the Union Ministry of Social Justice, the programme aims to make cities beggar-free by offering long-term solutions.
Instead of simply pushing people off the streets, SMILE focuses on rehabilitating them. It provides medical care, education, skill training, and job opportunities to help individuals stuck in begging rebuild their lives. The goal is to enable them to live with dignity and independence.
Solving the bigger problem
While stopping people from giving money may help reduce begging, it does not address the root cause. The Ministry of Social Justice describes begging as “the most extreme form of poverty” and emphasises that long-term solutions are critical.
“For most people, begging isn’t a choice — it’s survival. FIRs might stop the problem for now, but without real support, it won’t go away,” a Ministry statement said.
There is no authentic data available on the prevalence and presence of beggars across the country. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has stated that the Central Government has requested State Governments and UT Administrations to effectively implements their existing laws or enact a new law in case such law is not in existence.
There is no state-wide legislation that specifically
criminalizes panhandling in India. But 22 states and some
few Union Territories have their anti-begging legislation.
The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, of 1959 is the
model legislation for all national anti-begging statutes. If
convicted of begging for the first time under the Act, an
individual faces a minimum of 3 years in prison and, if
convicted again, up to 10 years in prison (Vishwajeet, 2021).
The List of States/UT’s and the Corresponding Legislation is as follows:
Andhra (The Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Beggary Act, 1977),
Assam (The Assam Prevention of Begging Act, 1964),
Bihar (The Bihar Prevention of Begging Act, 1951),
Chhattisgarh (Adopted the Madhya Pradesh Bikshavirty Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1973),
Goa (The Goa, Daman & Diu Prevention of Begging Act, 1972),
Gujarat (Adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959),
Haryana (The Haryana Prevention of Begging Act, 1971),
Himachal Pradesh (The Himachal Pradesh Prevention of Begging Act, 1979),
Jammu & Kashmir (The J&K Prevention of Begging Act, 1960),
Jharkhand (Adopted the Bihar Prevention of Begging Act, 1951),
Karnataka (The Karnataka Prevention of Begging Act, 1975),
Kerala (The Madras Prevention of Begging Act, 1945, the Travancore Prevention of Begging Act, 1120 and the Cochin Vagrancy Act, 1120 are in force in different areas of the State),
Madhya Pradesh (The Madhya Pradesh Bikshavirty Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1973),
Maharashtra (The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959),
Punjab (The Punjab Prevention of Begging Act, 1971),
Sikkim (The Sikkim Prohibition of Beggary Act, 2004),
Tamil Nadu (The Madras Prevention of Begging Act, 1945),
Uttar Pradesh (The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Begging Act, 1972),
Uttarakhand (Adopted the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Begging Act, 1972),
West Bengal (The West Bengal Vagrancy Act, 1943),
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (The Goa, Daman & Diu Prevention of Begging Act, 1972),
Delhi (Adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959)
Shelter homes/ institutions for beggars are functioning in Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Delhi.
In 2021 the Supreme Court bench observed that it is a socio-economic problem and people are forced to beg to eke out their livelihood due to the absence of education and employment. The SC bench observed that it is a socio-economic problem and people are forced to beg to eke out their livelihood due to the absence of education and employment.
The court’s observations are in line with past judicial observations. In 2018, the Delhi High Court struck down a law that made begging in the Capital a crime, saying that criminalising begging “violates the fundamental rights of some of the most vulnerable people”.
Let the SC’s observations mark a new conversation on begging, and how to improve the lives of India’s destitute (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)
Let the SC’s observations mark a new conversation on begging, and how to improve the lives of India’s destitute (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)
India has no federal law on begging and destitution.
About 20 states have adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, which carries a penalty of detention of three to 10 years in beggar homes. Activists argue that it is an oppressive law, and allows the police to detain or arrest anyone who is poor, including nomadic communities, street performers and migrant workers.
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