Hyderabad: This Christmas, prisons department turned Santa for Hyderabadis with ‘spot a beggar to win 500’ announcement.
On October 20, 2017, prisons department of Telangana launched a social service activity to uplift the lives of beggars in Hyderabad through a correctional program. As part of the program, prisons department officials took beggars from the city to special correction facilities set up at Chanchalguda and Cherlapally prison campuses and counselled them.
The department also accommodated the beggars in unused structures on the premises away from the barracks. The initiative is being supported by Hyderabad city police, and the GHMC, by identifying beggars and handing them over to the prison officials.
“So far 316 male beggars and 164 women beggars visited the correctional facilities named, Anand Ashram. Out of those who visited the Ashrams, 261 men and 140 women were released after they gave personal undertaking to not resort to begging again,” prisons DG V K Singh said.
However, eight male beggars returned to the Ashram for the second time due to various problems and prison officials are providing counselling continuously so that they would not return to begging again.
“Soon we will rope in social counselors and NGO workers in place of prison officials and open air prison inmates to assist the beggars who are infirm and sick in Anand Ashram. We are in the process of making the ashram self sustainable,” the DG said.
V K Singh said that they are hopeful of making Hyderabad a beggar free city by December 20 and announced 500-rupee reward for anyone informing about beggars on December 25.
“People are requested to inform us about beggars at : 040-24511791/ 24527846. Anyone providing information about beggars will be given a reward of ₹500 on Christmas,” the DG said.
(Times of India)