Indore: India's First Beggar-Free City Sets a New Standard

Indore has garnered national attention as it becomes the first city in India to be deemed beggar-free, local officials announced on Thursday.

A year ago, the city had around 5,000 beggars. District magistrate Ashish Singh detailed that a targeted campaign was launched to rehabilitate these individuals by providing employment opportunities and enrolling children into educational institutions.

The initiative has been hailed as a model approach by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and has caught the eye of a World Bank team. Indore's proactive strategy against begging includes a ban on the practice and incentivizes citizens with rewards for reporting violations.

(With inputs from agencies.)