{"id":36860,"date":"2025-02-06T18:52:22","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T13:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=36860"},"modified":"2025-08-08T12:19:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T06:49:18","slug":"bhopal-prohibits-begging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/06-02-2025\/bhopal-prohibits-begging","title":{"rendered":"Bhopal Prohibits Begging"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Social Issue, GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Bhopal district administration<\/strong> has prohibited all forms of begging, giving alms, and purchasing goods from beggars, invoking <strong>Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Section 163 of BNSS<\/strong> empowers the DM, or any other Executive Magistrate to issue orders in cases of public nuisance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Section 223 of BNSS<\/strong> deals with the punishment for disobedience of orders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As per the <strong>Census 2011<\/strong>, there are <strong>4.13 lakh beggars and vagrants in India.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many cities have repeatedly undertaken similar actions before major events. In 2017, <strong>Hyderabad banned<\/strong> begging before the <strong>Global Entrepreneurship Summit<\/strong>, while in 2010, Delhi <strong>removed beggars ahead of the Commonwealth Games<\/strong>. These measures have drawn criticism for targeting the <strong>most vulnerable sections of society<\/strong> without addressing the root causes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need for Criminalising Begging<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Public Nuisance and Beautification:<\/strong> It is often claimed that beggars create a negative image for tourists and investors, particularly before high-profile events.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Traffic and Safety Concerns: <\/strong>Many beggars operate at busy intersections, leading to accidents and disrupting traffic flow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Organized Begging Syndicates:<\/strong> Law enforcement agencies argue that many beggars are part of larger organized networks that exploit individuals, including children and disabled persons.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public Health Risks: <\/strong>Some states cite health and hygiene concerns, particularly in crowded urban areas, as reasons for imposing bans on begging.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Legal Framework for Begging in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Begging is not explicitly prohibited under a national law, but several states have their own anti-begging laws. The criminalization of begging in India has its roots in colonial jurisprudence, with several laws still in effect today:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>European Vagrancy Act, 1869:<\/strong> Enacted by the British to maintain racial superiority by preventing poor Europeans in India from resorting to begging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959: <\/strong>Considered a model law, adopted by multiple states including Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. It criminalizes begging and grants authorities power to detain and penalize beggars.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bengal Vagrancy Act, 1943, and Madras Prevention of Begging Act, 1945: <\/strong>These pre-independence laws aimed at criminalizing beggars and rehabilitating beggars in workhouses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vagrancy Laws under Concurrent List (Entry 15):<\/strong> Both the Union and state governments have the authority to legislate on vagrancy and destitution-related matters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Section 163 &amp; 223 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)<\/strong>, 2023\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Article 23 of the Indian Constitution:<\/strong> Prohibits traffic in human beings, begar (forced labor without payment), and other forms of forced labor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Begging Persists in India?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Poverty and Unemployment:<\/strong> Economic disparities and lack of job opportunities force many individuals into begging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Social Security:<\/strong> Inadequate access to food, healthcare, and shelter pushes marginalized individuals to seek alms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Forced Begging and Trafficking: <\/strong>Organized crime syndicates force children and disabled individuals into begging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Migration and Urbanization:<\/strong> Many rural poor migrate to cities in search of work but fail to secure employment, ending up as beggars.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disability and Mental Illness: <\/strong>Lack of proper healthcare services leaves disabled and mentally ill individuals with no choice but to beg.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Implications of Criminalizing Begging<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Violation of Human Rights: <\/strong>Penalizing begging disproportionately affects the poorest sections of society and contradicts constitutional guarantees of dignity and equality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arbitrary Detentions: <\/strong>Many anti-begging laws empower authorities to detain the beggars without due process of law.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Failure to Address Root Causes:<\/strong> Simply banning begging does not provide a solution to poverty or homelessness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Judicial Interventions:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Delhi High Court (2018): <\/strong>Struck down parts of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act as unconstitutional.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jammu and Kashmir High Court (2019):<\/strong> Declared the Prevention of Beggary Act and related rules as unconstitutional.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supreme Court (2021):<\/strong> Recognized begging as a socio-economic issue, refusing to impose restrictions during COVID-19.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives for Rehabilitation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SMILE Scheme (2021) :<\/strong> <strong>Central Sector Scheme<\/strong>; \u201cSupport for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise\u201d focuses on rehabilitating beggars and providing them with alternative livelihood options.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016: <\/strong>Proposed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to provide comprehensive care and rehabilitation for destitute persons but was eventually dropped.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shelters and Skill Development Programs: <\/strong>Several states have launched temporary shelters, food distribution centers, and vocational training programs to help reintegrate beggars into society.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Legal Reforms: <\/strong>A comprehensive national law focused on rehabilitation, rather than criminalization, should replace outdated colonial-era legislation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthening Social Welfare Schemes: <\/strong>Expanding social security programs, healthcare access, and employment opportunities can address the root causes of begging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regulation of Street Vending: <\/strong>Many beggars resort to street vending. Legalizing and supporting this activity can provide them with sustainable livelihoods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rehabilitation through NGOs and Private Partnerships: <\/strong>Collaborating with NGOs and private organizations can help implement structured rehabilitation programs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: IE<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bhopal district administration has prohibited all forms of begging, giving alms, and purchasing goods from beggars, invoking Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36860"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36860\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36861,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36860\/revisions\/36861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}