As per the information available on the website of Registrar General of India, number of children (Age up to 14 years) engaged in the act of Begging are attached at Annexure. These figures are based on Census 2011.
Department had launched the SMILE scheme , however the modalities of the implementation of the scheme namely “SMILE – Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise” are under consideration.
Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply to Part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 960 to be answered on 13/12/2022 regarding “Issue of Begging”
| Sl. No. | India/State/UT | Child (0-14 Years) |
| 1 | JAMMU & KASHMIR | 990 |
| 2 | HIMACHAL PRADESH | 178 |
| 3 | PUNJAB | 1214 |
| 4 | CHANDIGARH | 11 |
| 5 | UTTARAKHAND | 274 |
| 6 | HARYANA | 1171 |
| 7 | NCT OF DELHI | 290 |
| 8 | RAJASTHAN | 7167 |
| 9 | UTTAR PRADESH | 10167 |
| 10 | BIHAR | 3396 |
| 11 | SIKKIM | 1 |
| 12 | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 24 |
| 13 | NAGALAND | 20 |
| 14 | MANIPUR | 34 |
| 15 | MIZORAM | 6 |
| 16 | TRIPURA | 43 |
| 17 | MEGHALAYA | 38 |
| 18 | ASSAM | 686 |
| 19 | WEST BENGAL | 3216 |
| 20 | JHARKHAND | 1254 |
| 21 | ODISHA | 905 |
| 22 | CHHATTISGARH | 1065 |
| 23 | MADHYA PRADESH | 2592 |
| 24 | GUJARAT | 1982 |
| 25 | DAMAN & DIU | 8 |
| 26 | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI | 0 |
| 27 | MAHARASHTRA | 3026 |
| 28 | ANDHRA PRADESH | 3128 |
| 29 | KARNATAKA | 1602 |
| 30 | GOA | 24 |
| 31 | LAKSHADWEEP | 1 |
| 32 | KERALA | 202 |
| 33 | TAMIL NADU | 572 |
| 34 | PUDUCHERRY | 9 |
| 35 | A & N ISLANDS | 0 |
| INDIA | 45296 |
This information was given by The Minister of State Social Justice and Empowerment Shri A. Narayanswamy in the Lok Sabha in a written reply
