Free the city from beggars: Dikshit to officials

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today directed the Social Welfare department to take effective steps to make the metropolis a beggar-free city.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday directed the Social Welfare department to take effective steps to make the metropolis a beggar-free city.

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Dikshit also asked the department to start a forceful campaign against begging, saying people must be persuaded to avoid encouraging beggars.

The Chief Minister issued the directions at a high-level meeting where she reviewed functioning of Social Welfare and Women and Child Development departments.

Officials said they would start a campaign in the city soon, which would include small hoardings on bus stops and jingles on FM Radio stations.

They said special steps would be taken near religious places to check begging.

Reviewing functioning of Women and Child Welfare Department (WCD), Dikshit instructed it to commission another 500 Anganwaris in the capital as early as possible. At present there are 6,100 Anganwaris functioning in Delhi.

The Integrated Child Development Scheme is being implemented quite satisfactorily though there is need of commissioning more Anganwari Centres, she said.

As several institutions, being managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Department of WCD, are facing shortage of staff, it was decided to prepare fresh norms for deployment of staff to these institutions.