Bhubaneswar: 6,390 beggars identified in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has identified a total of 6,390 beggars across the state. Social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities minister Ashok Chandra Panda said this in a written reply to the state assembly here on Saturday.
Panda said the government is implementing a new scheme ‘Sahaya’ for protection, care and rehabilitation of beggars. “We have provided different type of help including alternate livelihood to 2,886 beggars,” said the minister in the reply.
Government has identified beggars in all 30 districts of the state. Cuttack district topped the list with 1,060 beggars followed by Balangir (708), Mayurbhanj (485), Sundargarh (467), Ganjam (458), Nuapada (288), Sonepur (280), Sambalpur (223), Bhadrak (220), Kalahandi (214) and Koraput (200). Other districts have beggars less than 200.
Deogarh district has the least number of beggars that is only 16. Other districts including Boudh (19), Malkangiri (21), Kendrapada (22), Jharsuguda (41) and Jagatsinghpur (53) have less number of beggars in the state, said the government statistics.
Ghasiram Panda, a rights activist, said there are different types of beggars including children, women, elderly and mentally or physically ill persons. “Some people will accept livelihood training, but others may not. For example, an elderly person will need an old age home instead of adopting livelihood training. So government can keep this in mind while rehabilitating them,” he added.
He said the beggars, who have left home due to family disputes, should be provided with legal help to return home. “Women and children are more vulnerable than other beggars. The state needs to keep eye on them and rehabilitate them properly,” he added.
The scheme of protection, care and rehabilitation of beggars aims at providing comprehensive rehabilitation support to all the target groups. It will provide assistance to parents of beggars, pre and post matric scholarship, skill development training, self-employment kit, self-help group, rehabilitation centres and marriage incentives and support for daughter of beggars, said the official sources.