Dignified life
With an aim to rehabilitate and facilitate beggars to join mainstream to live a dignified life under SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme in District, recently Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, visited newly established Rehabilitation Home for persons engaged in the act of Begging here at Hawal.
Notably, Srinagar has become the first District in Jammu and Kashmir to implement the SMILE scheme launched by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2022, to rehabilitate and reintegrate beggars into society.
He was accompanied by Chief Planning Officer, District Social Welfare Officer, Tehsildar Eidgah, NGO members and other concerned.
He took a detailed round of the Rehabilitation Home and inspected the facilities and rehabilitation measures for the persons engaged in the act of Begging.
While interacting with the Officers and staff of the Rehabilitation Centre, the DC said that the initiative has been taken to address the issue of begging in the District under SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme.
He added that the SMILE scheme will provide beggars with vocational training and livelihood opportunities, aiming to empower them to become self-sufficient. He emphasized a holistic approach, focusing on social reintegration and the well-being of marginalized individuals.