Begging in India: A Business, Not Just Survival; Indore Leads the Fight
Opinion
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News18•20-01-2026, 08:46
Begging in India: A Business, Not Just Survival; Indore Leads the Fight
- •Begging in India is often a lucrative business, not merely a last resort for survival, with individuals like Mangilal (Indore) and Bharat Jain (Mumbai) accumulating significant wealth.
- •Organized crime syndicates control large networks of beggars, trafficking individuals, including children, and operating multi-crore illegal businesses across cities like Lucknow and Hyderabad.
- •The practice poses severe risks, including child kidnapping, trafficking, and exploitation, as highlighted by rescues in Odisha and Chennai.
- •Existing laws like the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, are largely ineffective due to weak implementation and often criminalize victims rather than perpetrators.
- •Indore stands out as the only Indian city actively combating begging with an almsgiving ban, awareness campaigns, and rehabilitation programs, effective January 1, 2025.
Why It Matters: Begging in India is a complex issue, often a criminal enterprise, requiring urgent, comprehensive state intervention.
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