Municipal corporation study shows 5,284 beggars on Lucknow streets, UPCPCR member seeks details

The count, as per information, includes 264 boys and 484 girls within the age threshold of 14 years.

Lucknow:In a recent survey conducted by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, the data has given way to the revelation that the city houses a total of 5,284 beggars on its streets. The count, as per information, includes 264 boys and 484 girls within the age threshold of 14 years. It, however, does not include any data about government officials under whom the survey was conducted.

The LMC collaborated with partners such as Social Work department of Lucknow University as well as Udemy Sanstha and Rural Manav Utthan Sanstha under the 'Viksha Mukti Abhiyan' (Freedom from alms campaign) to carry out its work. Keeping aside the 14-year factor, 152 boys and 220 girls between 14 and 18 years of age were found begging in the city. These figures were, however, deeply overshadowed by the number of men (1824) and women (1752) begging on the streets of Lucknow every day.

Questioning the data, Dr. Suchita Chaturvedi, a member of Uttar Pradesh Commission for Protection of Child Rights, has sought the details of all 5,284 minors involved in the profession. She further asked for the places they have been seen in the city. The survey was part of a project by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which assigned the municipal corporation for the groundwork.

According to experts, the ultimate goal of the study is to connect those in the profession with the mainstream, which, in case of a lack in details, will be difficult to achieve. No answers have emerged from municipal corporation officials either, as they have maintained silence on the matter.