Indore, Dec 17 – Authorities in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, announced on Monday that First Information Reports (FIRs) will be registered against individuals giving alms to beggars starting January 1, 2025, as part of efforts to make the city “beggar-free.”
District Collector Ashish Singh said the administration had already issued an order banning begging and emphasized that the citywide awareness campaign against the practice will continue until the end of December.
“Our awareness campaign against begging will go on in the city till the end of this month (December). If any person is found giving alms from January 1, a First Information Report (FIR) will also be registered against him/her,” Singh told reporters, as reported by news agency PTI.
The collector urged residents not to encourage begging. “I appeal to all residents of Indore not to become partners in the sin by giving alms to people,” he said.
Singh stated that recent efforts have exposed organized gangs forcing individuals into begging. Authorities have also taken steps to rehabilitate many of those involved.
The initiative aligns with a broader pilot project by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment aimed at making 10 Indian cities beggar-free, with Indore being one of the targeted locations.
Indore, often recognized for its clean city initiatives, now seeks to address the social issue of begging by holding alms-givers accountable, as part of a coordinated administrative effort.
The Chenab Times News Desk