Social security for Delhi’s homeless

In a first-of-its-kind in the country, the Delhi government has started a special survey to identify the homeless in the city.

In a first-of-its-kind in the country, the Delhi government has started a special survey to identify the homeless in the city.

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The identified homeless will be included in the ongoing census and will also be made a part of several social schemes started in the Capital for the poor. The surveyed people would be given special identity cards to ensure they benefit from the schemes.

“There are lakhs of homeless people in Delhi, who are not registered and hence don't have any kind of identity card. As a result, they cannot avail the benefits of the social welfare programmes,” Dikshit said while kick starting the survey.

According to the officials, this is a first-of-its-kind survey that involves 24 government and non-government organisations and will be completed in two months. A team of 150 enumerators will carry out the survey in 15 divisions of the city.

“A register will be made and according to that homeless people will be given ID cards and below poverty line (BPL) cards so that it becomes easy for them to avail health facilities and get their children admitted to schools,” Dikshit said.

The counting, said officials, will be done in the night, which is considered "best time" to find these people at their places.

“After the survey the government will have accurate figures of the homeless and it will be easier to accommodate them and provide them adequate facilities,” the official said.

The survey is a part of United Nations-supported project 'Innovation Support for Social Protection’ and aims at giving people equal access to the social welfare schemes started by the government for the poor.