Mysuru is the only city in the State where the scheme of government of India - SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) – has been launched to address the problem of destitution and beggary.
An initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 75 municipal corporations, including Mysuru City Corporation, have been identified to implement SMILE-75.
In this connection, a training programme was organised for the volunteers enroled under SMILE-75 at the MCC on Wednesday. They have been tasked to identify people engaged in beggary and support the initiatives for their rehabilitation.
A note issued by the PIB at the time of launching SMILE-75 two years ago said various welfare steps will be launched for the rehabilitation of those engaged in the act of begging. Medical aid, counselling, awareness, education, skill development, economic linkages and so on are among the steps planned under the scheme.
The corporations have to engage NGOs and others for implementing the welfare steps. A sum of ₹100 crore has been set aside for the implementation of SMILE-75 till 2025-26. The initiative aims to ensure that no person is forced to beg for survival and make the cities free from begging, said the PIB note.
In order to bring the people engaged in beggary to the mainstream, an NGO from Mysuru has been identified for implementing the scheme by identifying the people involved in beggary.
Senior Civil Judge and Member Secretary of District Legal Services Authority Dinesh B.G. was the chief guest at the inauguration of the training programme.
During the training programme, resource persons will be holding sessions on the project and explain the roles to be played by the volunteers.
The survey of identifying the people engaged in beggary will be launched on Thursday at 8 a.m. at MCC office premises. The survey teams will leave for the tasks after the launch.
They will be conducting the survey from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 12 noon to 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
They shall be visiting places like bus-stands, railway stations, traffic signals, places of tourist importance and so on for the survey and to counsel them.
After identifying the people engaged in beggary, a rehabilitation plan will be taken up.
The additional commissioner of the MCC has sought the public, NGOs and stakeholders’ cooperation and support in the successful implementation of SMILE-75 and make Mysuru a “beggar-free city”.
