Over 4 lakh beggars in India: Bengal ranks top, 2 vagrants in Lakshadweep, says Govt

At least 4,13,670 beggars are residing in India, which consists of 2,21,673 males and 1,91,997 females. (File)

The country has over 4 lakh beggars, with the highest 81,000 beggars in West Bengal, while Lakshadweep merely has two vagrants, the government on Tuesday said. West Bengal has the highest number of beggars in India followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at number two and three respectively, the Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

4,13,670 beggars are residing in India, which consists of 2,21,673 males and 1,91,997 females, according to the 2011 census. Interestingly, in states like West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, the female beggars outnumbered their male counterparts.

West Bengal ranked top with 81,224 beggars followed by 65,835 beggars in Uttar Pradesh, 30,218 in Andhra Pradesh, 29,723 in Bihar, 28,695 in Madhya Pradesh, 25,853 in Rajasthan.

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However, there are least number of beggars in Union Territories. Lakshadweep has only two beggars, while Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and the Andaman and Nicobar islands have 19, 22 and 56 vagrants respectively, as per government record. The national capital has the largest number of beggars, 2,187 followed by 121 in Chandigarh.

Among the northeastern states, Asam topped the list with 22,116 beggars while Mizoram ranked lowest with 53.