SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has identified more than one thousand persons engaged in begging under the Centre’s Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE-B) scheme, according to a reply placed before the Rajya Sabha. The Union Government said it has expanded the scheme in 2025-26 with the aim of strengthening rehabilitation efforts and making Indian cities begging-free.
The information came in response to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Rajinder Gupta. The Government said that Jammu and Kashmir has so far identified 1,303 individuals under the scheme, of whom 462 have been rehabilitated through various interventions, including counselling, shelter, skill development, and linkage with welfare schemes.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said the SMILE-B programme now covers 181 cities across 32 States and Union Territories after the latest expansion. Since its inception, 25,698 persons have been identified nationwide and 7,330 have been rehabilitated. The Government has said it works in coordination with State and UT administrations, urban local bodies, and NGOs through regular consultations and structured reporting systems to ensure effective implementation.
According to the Ministry, district administrations appoint nodal officers for monitoring and convergence with relevant Central and State welfare schemes. It has also said that measures are being strengthened to enhance skill-development support, improve monitoring and evaluation, and intensify community-mobilisation efforts with the objective of eventually making cities begging-free.
