Delhi Govt to Launch 13-District Drive to Free City of Child Beggars

The Delhi government is preparing to launch a comprehensive campaign across all 13 districts to make the city free of child beggars, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced. The drive will focus on protecting children found begging on the streets, counselling their families, and offering them safe and structured alternatives to street life.

According to the government, the Child Beggar-Free Delhi drive will adopt a non-coercive approach, ensuring that children are not removed by force. Officials will work alongside the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights and non-governmental organisations to counsel vulnerable families and gain a clear understanding of the specific economic and social circumstances that pushed the children into begging.

The initiative aims to address the deeper economic and social difficulties faced by these families, connecting vulnerable children to institutional alternatives such as official child care centres. The government stated that these measures are intended to provide long-term stability and protection for children across the capital.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized that the key goal of the drive is to prevent children from being drawn into begging in the first place, while ensuring they gain access to education and a safe environment. "We will counsel families, address their difficulties and provide better alternatives," Gupta said regarding the government's strategy.

Furthermore, the government framework places strong emphasis on tackling organised networks that exploit minors. Law enforcement agencies in Delhi will identify and investigate gangs allegedly forcing children into begging, taking active measures to dismantle networks involved in exploiting children across all 13 districts.