From alms to earning livelihoods: Delhi govt helps over 400 beggars turn street vendors

New Delhi: More than 400 beggars were skilled and rehabilitated in the past one-and-a-half years under a government programme aimed at curbing panhandling in the national capital, with many now working as street vendors and linked to welfare schemes.

Under the SMILE scheme, the Delhi government trained around 400 panhandlers and identified nearly 4,000 people engaged in begging across the city, of whom about 21 per cent were elderly, an official said.

The process began with NGOs identifying beggars and shifting them in eight selected 'rain baseras' run by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, where they underwent medical check-ups, basic grooming and counselling, she said.

"Most of them had slipped into begging due to poverty, age or separation from families. Many were migrants from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," the official said, adding that the majority were above 35–40 years of age.

Given their age and willingness, the focus of skill training remained practical and livelihood-oriented, she said. "We trained most of them as street vendors -- selling vegetables or fruits while some received training in cooking, domestic work and basic painting jobs," she said.

Several beneficiaries were trained and rehabilitated in areas such as Dwarka and Najafgarh, where they were also registered as street vendors with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, she said.

Registration helped protect them from harassment and enabled access to government credit and pension schemes, the official said and added, "Once registered, they were linked with Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and other social security schemes, depending on eligibility." She said many beneficiaries also availed loans under the PM SVANidhi scheme, starting with small amounts to set up vending businesses and gradually scaling up after timely repayment. "This financial support played a key role in helping them become self-reliant" the official said.

Dr Shardha, who runs NGO Sant Ravidas Society in Dwarka, said most of the identified elderly individuals are diabetic and suffer from cataract. "Many beggars survive on the food they get from temples, which is mostly sweets and due to large consumption of sweets, they become diabetic and without treatment, they get cataract," she said.

To ensure recognition and dignity, the beneficiaries were provided identity cards and stalls carrying boards of the Social Welfare Department, she said, adding that local authorities, including sub-divisional magistrates, extended support.

The rehabilitation was carried out under the SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme, introduced by the Centre and implemented in nine areas of Delhi, including Karol Bagh, Dwarka, Rohini, Shahdara and Old Delhi, the official said.

She said the scheme followed a structured approach identification, outreach, shelter, training and reintegration, with special focus on children, women, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Children identified during the process were linked to anganwadi centres, schools and child care institutions, while adults received training based on aptitude and interest, the official said.

"The aim was not just to stop begging, but to restore dignity and provide sustainable livelihoods," she said, adding that most residents stayed in shelters for three to six months before being reintegrated into society.