Srinagar: In a heart-warming move towards rehabilitating the marginalised, authorities in Kashmir's Srinagar have established a rehabilitation home for beggars, offering entrepreneurship skills to beggars.
The initiative comes in the face of increasing beggar population in the valley particularly in Srinagar city.
A senior official from the administration said that the rehabilitation home is aimed at making the beggars financially independent.
The rehabilitation home has been established in Srinagar's Hawal area under the SMILE (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme of the government in cooperation with a non-governmental organization (NGO) 'Prayas'.
At the 'SMILE' home, all necessary facilities with regard to accommodation, food, and rehabilitation have been made available for the homeless. Beggars brought here from different parts of the city are provided with food and medical care at the rehabilitation home.
Dignified Livelihood
To ensure a dignified livelihood for the beggars, skill development programs have been introduced at the SMILE home, where females are trained in cutting and tailoring, while males are taught LED bulb manufacturing.
The beggars taken in for rehabilitation by the volunteers of 'Prayas' include both the elderly and the young, with several among them being physically disabled.
Reacting to the government initiative, the beggars rehabilitated at the Srinagar SMILE home expressed satisfaction with the center's treatment, emphasizing the better living conditions and food. Many expressed willingness to give up begging if provided with adequate work skills.
Rising Begging In Kashmir
The number of beggars has reportedly increased in the Kashmir Valley in recent years. The beggars can often be seen seeking alms at traffic signals, tourist spots, hospitals, and petrol pumps. According to a recent survey conducted by 'Prayas', approximately 1,000 beggars are currently active in Srinagar, with the numbers rising during summer. Many of them belong to districts like Kupwara, Kulgam, Rajouri, and Handwara, as well as other states.
Srinagar has become the first district in Jammu and Kashmir to implement the SMILE scheme, launched by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Bilal Mohi-ud-din Bhat, stated that the district administration is committed not only to ending begging but also to ensuring that affected individuals receive the necessary support to earn a dignified livelihood.
Volunteers from 'Prayas' acknowledge that rehabilitating marginalized individuals is a significant challenge. They emphasize that simply removing beggars from the streets is not enough—the focus must be on empowering them with skills for self-sufficiency and a life of dignity. They also highlighted the support received from civil authorities, police, and the public in this initiative.
The SMILE scheme aligns with the 1960 Begging Act, which initially criminalized begging. However, a landmark High Court judgment stressed the importance of a welfare state and the rehabilitation of marginalized sections, prompting the introduction of the SMILE initiative.
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