By Omkar Dattatray
One of the serious problems afflicting India, including its crown jewel, Jammu & Kashmir, is child begging. The menace continues to raise its ugly head in the Union Territory and puts all of us to shame. Despite being both illegal and immoral, the practice continues to thrive, tarnishing the social fabric of Jammu & Kashmir. Serious and concerted efforts are needed to curb and contain this alarming problem.
Child begging is a socio-economic scourge that must be viewed through the prism of social justice and economic priorities. While it is a pan-India phenomenon, Jammu & Kashmir is no exception. According to Census 2011 data, around 990 children up to the age of 14 were engaged in begging in Jammu & Kashmir, often as a result of poverty or exploitation by organised rackets. Children are frequently seen begging at traffic signals and busy intersections, particularly in urban centres such as Jammu and Srinagar.
Although the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960 makes begging an offence, recent initiatives have focused more on rehabilitation than punishment. Since October 2023, thousands of children have reportedly been rescued and rehabilitated across different regions. Authorities have also undertaken rescue drives under the SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) Scheme to provide protection, counselling, education, and rehabilitation to children found begging.
Child begging in Jammu & Kashmir is a serious and growing social concern. Many children are exploited by adults, organised gangs, or traffickers, while others are forced into begging due to extreme poverty. They are often seen at traffic junctions, religious places, markets, and other public spaces. Despite strict restrictions and periodic bans, particularly in Srinagar, implementation remains a major challenge.
Key Aspects of Child Begging in Jammu & Kashmir
1. Scale and Scope
Reports indicate that child beggars are frequently found at major traffic signals in Jammu, particularly in areas such as Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar, and Apsara Road. Their presence reflects the growing magnitude of the problem.
2. Organised Crime and Exploitation
Many child beggars are forced into the trade by traffickers, criminal gangs, or even their own parents. The practice has increasingly assumed an organised dimension, with children as young as six years old seen begging in markets and public places. Some adults reportedly “rent” children to evoke public sympathy and increase collections. A significant number of these children belong to migratory families originating from other parts of the country.
3. Safety Concerns
Children are often used as “props” at busy intersections, exposing them to serious risks from road accidents and hazardous traffic conditions. Their physical and emotional well-being remains under constant threat.
4. Rehabilitation Efforts
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has undertaken initiatives to rescue and rehabilitate children engaged in begging. These efforts include reuniting children with their families, enrolling them in schools, placing them in protective homes, and providing counselling and support services.
5. Legal Framework
The Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960 provides the legal basis for preventing begging. In recent years, authorities have intensified enforcement measures, particularly in Srinagar. The government, along with Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), has conducted rescue operations and rehabilitation programmes, including educational support and linkage with Anganwadi Centres.
6. Special Initiatives
Special drives and public interest petitions have periodically sought stronger action against child begging. Rescue operations often involve producing children before the Child Welfare Committee for appropriate rehabilitation measures.
7. Prevalence Across Regions
Beggars, particularly women and children, are commonly seen in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, especially near traffic signals, markets, and public places.
8. Associated Risks
Children engaged in begging are vulnerable to a range of dangers, including substance abuse, trafficking, physical exploitation, neglect, and criminal activities.
9. SMILE Scheme
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s SMILE Scheme focuses on rehabilitation, counselling, education, healthcare, and livelihood support for persons engaged in begging. Children rescued from the streets are often produced before Child Welfare Committees for rehabilitation and protection.
Rehabilitation and Support
Rehabilitation efforts include:
Reuniting children with their families.
Enrolling them in Anganwadi Centres and schools.
Rehabilitation through Child Welfare Committees.
Providing educational support and skill development opportunities.
Offering counselling, healthcare, and social protection services.
Factors Contributing to the Crisis
1. Poverty
Poverty remains one of the primary causes of child begging. Financial distress forces many families to push their children onto the streets to supplement household income.
2. Public Sympathy
Many people give alms out of compassion, inadvertently encouraging children to continue begging instead of seeking rehabilitation and education.
3. Organised Rackets
Well-organised networks often exploit children to solicit money from commuters and the public, turning begging into a profitable enterprise.
Welfare of Child Beggars
According to information available on the website of the Registrar General of India, 61,311 children up to the age of 19 years were engaged in begging across the country as per Census 2011. Much has changed since then, and there is a widespread perception that the problem has intensified in both scale and complexity.
To address the issue, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the SMILE Scheme on February 12, 2022. The scheme includes a sub-component dedicated to the comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in begging. Its focus is on rehabilitation, healthcare, counselling, documentation, education, skill development, and economic empowerment.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has also established mechanisms under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the Adoption Regulations, 2017, for the care, protection, rehabilitation, and adoption of orphaned, abandoned, and surrendered children. Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units, the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), and State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARA) play important roles in ensuring the welfare and rehabilitation of vulnerable children.
Conclusion
Child begging, despite being prohibited by law, continues to remain a major socio-economic challenge. The problem has assumed alarming proportions and demands the urgent attention of the government, non-governmental organisations, voluntary groups, civil society, and the public at large. Laws alone cannot eliminate this scourge. What is required is a coordinated strategy that combines strict enforcement, rehabilitation, education, poverty alleviation, and public awareness.
The ban on child begging must be implemented in both letter and spirit. Every child deserves a childhood filled with education, dignity, safety, and hope—not a life spent begging on the streets.
(The author is a columnist, social activist, KP activist, and freelancer.)
