File photo: According to official data, there are a total of 4,13,670 beggars and vagrants across India, including 70,506 with disabilities.
The government has no information about gangs operating in metro cities which kidnap young children and force them into begging by amputating their limbs, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
To a question on as to whether any 'gang of beggars' is operating in metros forcing small children into begging by amputating their limbs, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla said in a written reply that "no such information is available in the Ministry."
He said there are a total of 4,13,670 beggars and vagrants across India, including 70,506 with disabilities.
The Minister also pointed out that there is no authentic data about beggars with drug addiction.
At present, there is no scheme of the Central government on beggary but 20 states and two Union Territories have either enacted their own anti-beggary legislation or adopted laws enacted by other states, he said.
Meetings with experts, state governments and NGOs on the issue saw recommendations being made to explore the possibility of enacting a central scheme for rehabilitation of beggars, he said.