New Delhi: The government has drafted a bill seeking decriminalisation of beggary and offer a life of dignity to beggars, homeless and others who live in poverty or abandonment.
At present, begging is a crime under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, and anyone found begging can be sent to a shelter home or even jail without trial.
However, the draft bill called the Persons in Destitution Bill 2015 looks at the issue as a social menace defining “destitution” as a state of poverty or abandonment, arising from economic or social deprivation and “persons in destitution” include the homeless, people with physical and mental disabilities, infirm and others who are in a state of poverty or abandonment. According to the bill, state governments will constitute outreach and mobilisation units in districts and conduct surveys for the purpose of mapping areas and identifying persons in destitution and provide them assistance in procuring documents required to avail the benefits of any such scheme or legislation.
