MP govt to make Indore 'beggar-free' city

Indore, Feb 17 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government has accelerated the efforts to make its business capital Indore a 'beggar-free' city. Initiatives have also been adopted to ensure the rehabilitation of beggars and how people can contribute to the cause.

Indore District Magistrate Manish Singh held a meeting with officers on Tuesday for the rehabilitation of homeless people and beggars living in the city under the Beggars Rehabilitation Programme.

During the meeting, the District Magistrate said that a Beggar Rehabilitation Centre will be set up to make Indore a "beggar-free" city and proper arrangements will be made there for the persons involved in begging. The facilities will include health check-up, food, clothes, etc.

The efforts are aimed at rescuing the beggars from the begging rackets, he further said.

The District Magistrate also sought suggestions from the NGOs to make this campaign successful.

He said the effort to make the city beggar-free can only be fruitful if the common public contributes to it. Therefore, the voluntary organisations should give suggestions and cooperate in this programme.

In January, the civic body workers were accused of taking homeless and old people in a garbage van and trying to dump them outside the city. This was objected to by some people and the video of the incident also went viral.