After picking up over 9,000 beggars from the city as part of its 'beggar-free' drive, the Telangana Prisons department has decided to extend the project by establishing rehabilitation centres for them in all districts.
The department had last year set up 'Anand Ashrams' (special homes) for rehabilitation of beggars in Chanchalguda and Cherlapalli (central prisons premises) in the city after launching a drive in coordination with police and municipal authorities to curb 'begging menace.'
So far 5,725 male beggars and 3,470 female beggars from various localities of the city have been admitted to 'Anand Ashrams'.
Out of them 5,500 male beggars and 3,401 female beggars were released on their personal undertaking not to resort to begging again.
However, over 200 persons were again caught begging and shifted to the ashrams, Prisons department officials said.
As on date, 225 male beggars and 69 female beggars are in 'Anand Ashrams', he noted.
"We wanted to extend this programme from Hyderabad to all other districts and have sent a proposal to the government in this regard.
The government is considering our proposal very positively," Director General (Prisons and Correctional Services) Vinoy Kumar Singh told PTI.
Singh claimed that Hyderabad has been made 'beggar-free,' but certain beggars were commuting from different districts to this city and again going back in the night which is making it difficult to control the menace.
"Unless we extend the facility to different districts, it will not be possible to totally sanitise Hyderabad.
This (rehabilitating beggars) is a big and highly praiseworthy social intervention programme of the Prisons Department and we may soon get orders from the government to extend it to other districts of Telangana.
As indications have been given, it (orders) should come soon," Singh hoped.
'Anand Ashram' is the first step of the Prisons Department, which has taken up the task of social service to humanity, he said adding the objectives include serving people at the lowest rung of the society and to safeguard the public order and law in the society by eradicating begging.
Beggars are brought to 'Anand Ashrams' through regular drives and five buses ply round-the-clock covering entire Hyderabad.
During admission of the beggars, biometric details like finger prints and photographs are captured through scans and uploaded into the system to identify repeat beggars.
Inmates of the ashrams are provided food, accommodation, education facilities to learn basic education and these centres also have facilities to impart or upgrade skills, and the willing beggars are provided employment in prison industries or outside in private firms, officials said.
The Department with a view to involve the public in this project and create public awareness offers reward of Rs 1,000 to those who give information about the beggars.
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