Pics: Dayakukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Mar 28: K A Ramalingappa, state president of Central Relief Committee has said that the beggars rehabilitation centres will be set up in all the districts in a short span of time.

The government has issued a circular to the DC’s of all the districts in the state demanding to release required land for construction of these centers.
 
He visited Destitute Rehabilitation Centre at Pacchanady in Mangalore on Sunday March 27.
 
He added that currently the centers are functioning in 14 districts, 16 more district will get rehabilitation centres soon.

Pointing out that the beggar’s rehabilitation centres are not funded from central or state government, he said local governments including gram panchayats, city corporation, zilla panchayats, TMCs and CMCs collect three per cent of the property tax as beggary cess. The local governments have to send the amount collected as beggary cess to the Central Relief Committee for the proper utilization of the amount collected. In Dakshina Kannada, Mangalore City Corporation has sent Rs 40 lakh to the CRC. He appealed the public not to donate money to beggars, which is a violation of eradication of begging act 1975.

The GPs, ZP, TPs, TMCs are yet to remit the fund. However, we have already written letter to the concerned to remit the amount. The Committee already has about Rs 50 crore and about Rs 25 crore are yet to be recovered from the local bodies. He stated that if the authorities have used the beggary cess for the development works, then it will be recovered by the committee.
 
There are 89 inmates at Pacchanady Destitute Rehabilitation Centre, of which 68 are males and 21 are females. The KMC doctors visit the centre on every second and fourth Wednesday to treat the inmates.