Pune BRC arms 1,318 beggars with livelihood skills in 7 years

The Beggars Receiving Centre (BRC) at Phulenagar in Yerawada has rehabilitated 1,318 beggars during the past seven years and trained them in broom making, gardening, tailoring, cooking and other skills

The Beggars Receiving Centre (BRC) at Phulenagar in Yerawada has rehabilitated 1,318 beggars during the past seven years and trained them in broom making, gardening, tailoring, cooking and other skills.

The Beggars Receiving Centre (BRC) at Phulenagar in Yerawada has rehabilitated 1,318 beggars during the past seven years (HT PHOTO)

The centre manufactures around 0.3 million brooms in a year and sells to various government departments in Maharashtra.

The persons brought to the centre are usually caught by the police and produced before court. The court sends them to the centre for rehabilitation for a mandatory period of one year. The state government covers the medical and other needs of these people and staff give them training on livelihood skills. Later, they are handed over to family as part of the directives of the government.

BRC has been operational under the women and child welfare commissionerate since 1986. The centre has a capacity to accommodate 100 males and 15 females. Currently, 29 beggars are housed at the centre, including 28 males and one female. The BRC staff comprises superintendent SP Sangale, supervisors Rohini Jawale and Angha Davane.

Sangale said, “We need to educate citizens to refrain from giving alms to them and instead concentrate on efforts which can make them worthy to earn a living by themselves and thus become responsible citizens. They must be looked at with compassion as they are part of the society.”