3,000 'qualified' Indians pushed to begging

About 3,000 Indians with a degree or above are begging on the streets, according to the latest Census figures. Of this, 410 have degrees in technical field. Though this number is miniscule compared to the 3.27 lakh beggars counted during the Census, it showed that highly qualified people were forced out of the comforts of their homes due to various reasons. The Census report on "Non-Workers by Main Activity, Educational Level and Sex” released recently showed that there are 2,600 people who have graduation and above other than technical degree who can be categorised as beggars or vagrants. Of this, 745 are women. Another 410, including 137 women, have technical degree or diploma equal to degree or post-graduate degree. Highest number West Bengal has the highest number of such beggars, 540 with degree and above and another 34 with technical degrees or above. Maharashtra has the highest number of beggars with degree in technical subjects at 61 followed by Andhra Pradesh with 55. Karnataka has 125 beggars with qualification above degree and 44 with technical degrees. Kerala, the most literate state in the country, has 24 with degree or above and 5 with technical degrees. None of the north-eastern states, except Assam and Manipur, and Union Territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh and Lakshadweep has beggars with technical degree. On the whole, 78.66 per cent (2.92 lakh) of the beggars were illiterate while 79,415 were literate. The number beggars with qualification up to matriculation level was 53,963, matriculation and below degree 10,058 and diploma holders 195. With 75,083, West Bengal has the highest number of beggars, which includes 44,628 women, while UP followed it with 57,038, including 21,093 women. Andhra Pradesh (26,478), Bihar (25,857), Maharashtra (22,737) and Assam (20,314) are other states that have higher number of beggars. Beggars have been clubbed under non-workers category, which numbers 72.89 crore. Among the non-workers, students comprise 30.51 crore, those who are engaged in household work are 16.56 crore and 1.37 crore pensioners. Deccan Herald