The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), Government of India, in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare, Govt of NCT of Delhi, is organizing a program titled 'Bhiksha Vritti Mukt Bharat – Advancing Towards a Bhiksha Vritti Mukt Delhi' on October 14 at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The program is part of the Central Government's commitment to the vision of 'Bhiksha Vritti Mukt Bharat', aligned with the broader national aspirations of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat @2047.
Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, will attend as Chief Guest, while Smt. Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi, will participate as Special Guest. Secretary Shri Sudhansh Pant from the Ministry will also be present. The program will bring together representatives from Central and State Governments, district administrations, urban local bodies, implementing agencies, civil society organizations, and beneficiaries to discuss implementation experiences and share best practices for sustainable rehabilitation and social reintegration of persons engaged in begging.
The Ministry is implementing the SMILE–Beggary Scheme to facilitate comprehensive rehabilitation, socio-economic empowerment, and social reintegration of persons engaged in begging. The Scheme is currently being implemented in 216 cities across 33 States and Union Territories, with 45,073 persons identified under the Scheme to date, out of which 13,134 have received rehabilitation support. Delhi was among the seven cities selected during the pilot phase in FY 2021–22 and the Scheme is now operational across all 14 districts/cities of Delhi.
The Scheme adopts a holistic, rehabilitation-oriented approach that includes identification and profiling, rescue and outreach, counselling, shelter and essential services, healthcare, education, skill development, livelihood support, and convergence with social security schemes. Key reforms include a mobile application for comprehensive surveys and profiling, a portal for digital monitoring, model guidelines for transforming beggars' homes into dignified rehabilitation facilities, and a Begging-Free City Framework with measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
During the program, a large number of beneficiaries identified and supported under the SMILE–Beggary Scheme will be felicitated and provided with skill-building and rehabilitation kits to support their transition towards self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods. The Government has set an ambitious target of making 100 cities Begging-Free by 2031 under the SMILE–Beggary Scheme for FY 2026–31, supported by measurable KPIs, digital monitoring, innovation, and inter-departmental convergence.