SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has received Rs 94.78 lakh under the Centre’s SMILE-Beggary scheme, with 434 adult beneficiaries rehabilitated up to July 31, 2026, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The figures were provided in a written reply to Unstarred Question No. 3735, which also revealed that 10,446 persons, including 2,824 children, have been rehabilitated nationwide under the scheme since its inception on October 23, 2023.
According to the ministry, a total of Rs 45.59 crore has been released under the SMILE-Beggary scheme up to July 31, of which Rs 40.04 crore was released to implementing authorities and cities, with the remainder spent on administrative and other scheme-related expenditure.
Jammu and Kashmir’s allocation of Rs 94.78 lakh places it among the implementing States and Union Territories covered by the scheme. The annexure, however, does not separately specify the nature or number of vocational training programmes undertaken in the Union Territory.
The Centre said vocational training under the scheme is provided according to beneficiaries’ aptitude, age, physical and mental condition and local livelihood opportunities. Training includes trades such as carpentry, tailoring, housekeeping, sanitation services, hair cutting, security services, cooking, gardening and driving or operation of e-rickshaws.
Beneficiaries are also facilitated in forming community or group-based Self-Help Groups and are linked with banks and financial institutions for self-employment and income-generating activities.
The ministry further said it has developed Model Guidelines for Beggars’/Shelter Homes, which were circulated to all States and Union Territories on April 13, 2026. The guidelines prescribe minimum standards relating to infrastructure and capacity, healthcare, sanitation, nutrition, vocational training, rehabilitation, legal aid, gender and child sensitivity, accountability and monitoring.
Under the guidelines, every Beggar/Shelter Home is required to undergo a third-party infrastructure and social audit at least once every two years, covering structural safety, disability and age-friendliness, electrical systems, sanitation, water supply and residents’ safety and security.
The guidelines also prescribe minimum space standards to prevent overcrowding and ensure dignified living conditions.
The ministry said a dedicated mobile application has been developed to facilitate identification and profiling of persons engaged in begging, while States and Union Territories have been asked to establish digital monitoring systems covering admission, health status, skill development, rehabilitation, release, follow-up and family reunification.
The measures follow the Supreme Court’s directions in M.S. Patter vs State of NCT of Delhi, with the ministry stating that the Model Guidelines were prepared through a National Consultative Committee comprising representatives of various ministries, the National Human Rights Commission, State and UT governments and non-governmental organisations.
Of the 7,622 adults rehabilitated nationally, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number at 1,557, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 1,135, Uttar Pradesh with 884 and Maharashtra with 817. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 434 adult rehabilitations.
