2 months ago
1
The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) has identified astir 502 individuals engaged successful begging done an ongoing enumeration thrust aimed astatine making the metropolis beggar-free. The corp is implementing rehabilitation measures to safeguard livelihoods and alteration radical to unrecorded with dignity.
The survey, launched nether the Union government’s “Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE)” programme, is being carried retired by Tirupati-based Rojavanam Trust, which was selected by the GMC arsenic the implementing agency. The workout began connected March 18, 2026, and has truthful acold covered cardinal locations successful the city.
Survey teams person been deployed successful large nationalist areas, including the autobus stand, railway station, Government General Hospital, Chuttugunta Centre, NTR Stadium, spiritual centres, marketplace junctions, and respective residential localities specified arsenic Brodipet, Arundalpet, Pattabhipuram, and Kothapeta. Officials said that the purpose is to guarantee nary idiosyncratic engaged successful begging is near retired of the enumeration process.
The SMILE scheme, formulated by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, seeks to destruct “bhiksha vritti” (begging) done a broad rehabilitation framework. It focuses connected identification, mobilisation, proviso of basal services, and semipermanent livelihood support. The programme includes entree to shelter, food, healthcare, counselling, education, and accomplishment development, enabling beneficiaries to modulation into wage oregon self-employment.
As portion of the initiative, the Centre has sanctioned ₹9 lakh arsenic the archetypal instalment for implementation successful Guntur. The magnitude volition beryllium released to the implementing bureau upon completion of ceremonial agreements, successful enactment with strategy guidelines. The task is scheduled to beryllium implemented implicit a three-year period, with coordination among municipal authorities, territory administration, and payment agencies.
GMC Commissioner K. Mayur Ashok told The Hindu that the identified individuals travel from divers socio-economic backgrounds, and interventions volition beryllium tailored accordingly. “We are not looking astatine this simply arsenic an enforcement exercise. The absorption is connected rehabilitation and ensuring that each idiosyncratic is provided with opportunities to pb a dignified life,” helium said.
Officials added that the adjacent signifier volition impact counselling and linking beneficiaries to suitable payment schemes and vocational grooming programmes. The inaugural is expected to gradually reintegrate them into mainstream society, reducing dependence connected alms and promoting sustainable livelihoods.
