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.