New Delhi: Orissa raised the question of funding for implementing the proposed Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016 during a meeting here Wednesday.
The bill envisions rehabilitation of destitutes by sending them to rehabilitation homes and imparting skill development training to them to ensure self-reliance. It also makes the states responsible for funding the scheme.
“Before going for such a bill we need to get data on destitute through a proper state-level survey. The bill talks about adequate fund but does not define its size,” said Nitin Chandra, Principal Secretary, Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disability, Orissa.
Chandra added such provisions cannot be implemented properly if their financial implications are not known to the states.
He remarked that nowhere in the bill, relief measures have been mentioned adding legislative competence for implantation should be thoroughly studied before making it into a law.
The national pre-legislative consultation among different state representatives, central ministries and NGOs was chaired by Union minister of social justice and empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot.
He claimed the bill will curb organised begging syndicate and will make beggars and destitute self-reliable through government assistance.
Uttarakhand asked for brining transgenders under its ambit while Punjab wanted the Centre to fund states. Tamil Nadu and Smile Foundation exhorted the government to focus mainly on beggars while leaving destitute out of it as the later could be a complex subject.
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