SMILE Scheme Rehabilitation Outcomes for Children Engaged in Begging
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment provided Lok Sabha with detailed outcomes of the Central Sector Scheme 'Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE) – Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Engaged in the Act of Begging'. The scheme, operational since 23rd October 2023, covers 216 major cities and towns across 33 States/Union Territories with specific focus on children engaged in begging activities.
As of 30 June 2026, the scheme has achieved significant results with 2,824 children identified, rescued, and rehabilitated. The rehabilitation outcomes show 1,549 children were successfully reunited with their parents or families, representing the primary method of rehabilitation. Additionally, 676 children have been admitted to schools for formal education, while 309 children have been placed in Anganwadi centers for early childhood care and education. For children requiring institutional care, 290 have been produced before Child Welfare Committees and linked to Child Care Institutions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
State-wise performance data reveals Uttar Pradesh as the top-performing state with 927 children rehabilitated, followed by Chandigarh with 313 children, Delhi with 233 children, Maharashtra with 208 children, and Andhra Pradesh with 191 children. The government clarified that age-wise and gender-wise data of identified children are not maintained separately under the scheme.
The scheme framework provides for 100% rehabilitation and mainstreaming of all children surveyed, profiled, and rescued from beggary, eliminating the need for a separate scheme specifically for children engaged in begging. The rehabilitation approach includes family reunification where feasible, educational integration through schools and Anganwadi centers, and institutional care through established child protection mechanisms when required.