'Delhi Govt To Soon Launch ‘Child Beggar-Free Delhi’ Campaign,' Says CM Rekha Gupta

The Delhi government plans to launch a 'Child Beggar-Free Delhi' campaign to protect children from begging at public places and major road intersections, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced in a video post on X. The campaign will target all 13 districts of Delhi and aim to provide a secure future for children forced into beggary.

Families will be counseled, and children will not be forcibly moved. Instead, the government will work with the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and NGOs to address their difficulties and provide better alternatives. The campaign will also identify and expose organized gangs forcing children into begging, seeking public feedback before its launch around Independence Day.

DCPCR Chairman OP Vyas explained that the problem of child begging has two aspects: first, focusing on parents to ensure counseling and wean children away from begging, and second, addressing the involvement of organized gangs that force small, homeless, and poor children into begging, which would require strict legal action. Child welfare committees under the Juvenile Justice Act will play a crucial role, providing care, protection, education, and skill training to children freed from begging.

Delhi is estimated to have around 70,000 street children, many of whom are engaged in begging at various public places.