New Delhi : West Bengal has reported to be the state having highest number of beggars in the country while union territory Lakshadweep has just two beggars, if a report prepared by Ministry of Social Justice has to be considered. Uttar Pradesh comes next to West Bengal reporting 65,835 beggars. West Bengal facing issues of Bangladeshi migrants, most of whom earn their livelihood during the initial days of illegally arriving in the state taking the route of begging, reports having 81,244 beggers.
There are 4,13,670 beggars — 2.2 lakh males and 1.91 lakh females in the country, Minister of State for Social Justice Vijay Sampla said in a reply in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. As many as 30,218 beggars live in Andhra Pradesh, 29,723 in Bihar and 28,695 in Madhya Pradesh. Incidentally, in Assam, Manipur, and West Bengal female beggars outnumbered their male counterparts. The Union Territories recorded least number of beggars. Lakshadweep has only two beggars as per the government record
