Back in 2015, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu made an attempt to help 300 beggars at Rajahmundry. The politician offered Rs. 10,000 to each beggar and a meal every day to get them off the streets of Rajahmundry. But to the surprise of everyone all the 300 beggars declined.
This was a rather puzzling incident that led to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation conducting a survey to evaluate the authenticity of the beggars. The survey revealed, among the 14,000 beggars in Hyderabad 98% of them are fake. This means that the woman with the baby you gave 10 rupees to while on your way to work made more than you did that day.
Not only are these beggars richer than you but most of them indulge in underground illegal rackets. It was found that each of these beggars makes a minimum of Rs. 1,000 every day. The beggars have made begging a career and induce themselves with pain for money. Some blind themselves and others cause visible wounds to gain sympathy from the almsgiver.
Many of these beggars are seen with infant babies in their arms which are supplied by the local mafia group. The mafia charges the beggars on a daily basis for the baby.
Amma Nanna Anada Ashramam (ANAA) is an organization that helps the needy. They launched a campaign to help the real beggars of Hyderabad. They identified 500 genuine beggars in the city and 50 of them have already been rehabilitated at ANAA at Choutuppal.
The next time you’re in a position where beggars are pushing you to donate your hard earned money, offer them food. This will help you tell the genuity of the beggar if the person is truly homeless a meal will make them happy but if they reject you know their tummy is full.
