SMILE Scheme — Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise

The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is strengthening efforts to rehabilitate persons engaged in begging through the SMILE Scheme — Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise.

The SMILE Beggary Scheme is currently operational in 216 cities across India and aims to expand its coverage to 295 cities by 2030–31.

The initiative will give special attention to metropolitan cities as well as religious, tourist and historical destinations, where the prevalence of begging is relatively high.

Under the approved implementation plan for 2026–27 to 2030–31, the government has set a target of rehabilitating 35,000 persons engaged in begging. More than 10,200 individuals have already been successfully rehabilitated, while the remaining beneficiaries will be covered in a phased manner over the next five years.

The SMILE Scheme is an umbrella programme of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and includes the Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Engaged in the Act of Begging.

The scheme focuses on the social and economic rehabilitation of vulnerable individuals through:

• Skill development and vocational training.
• Education.
• Healthcare.
• Counselling and psychological support.
• Sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities.
• Social reintegration.

The initiative seeks to realise the vision of a “Bhiksha Vritti Mukt Bharat” (Begging-Free India) by adopting a convergence-based approach involving the Central Government, State Governments, Union Territories, district administrations, urban local bodies, municipal corporations and implementing agencies.

The coordinated framework focuses on the identification, rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of persons engaged in begging into mainstream society, with an emphasis on dignity, self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.

Source: PIB

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