Bhopal district administration has relaunched its campaign to rid the Madhya Pradesh capital of begging, with Collector Priyank Mishra directing the Additional Collector and all Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to enforce strict action against begging at public places. The directive was issued on Monday, 10 August during a review meeting, and calls for both enforcement and public awareness measures.

Why the Drive Was Revived

The renewed push comes after an earlier crackdown, launched in February 2025, lost momentum within weeks. Despite an initial ban on begging under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, beggars had returned to traffic signals, roadsides, and religious sites by April 2025 — roughly the same locations they had occupied before the ban. The administration is now seeking sustained enforcement rather than a short-term exercise.

What the Collector Said

'Effective and strict measures should be taken to curb begging in the city, along with public awareness activities. District administration will come out with proper action on this issue,' Collector Mishra said in a statement. SDMs have been asked to act within their respective jurisdictions and run awareness drives alongside enforcement.

Background: The February 2025 Campaign

The first serious attempt to enforce a begging ban in Bhopal was ordered by then-Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh in February 2025. That campaign was partly modelled on Indore's initiative, which had prohibited begging from January 2025 and paired enforcement with shelter and livelihood support. In Bhopal, police registered the first FIR under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — covering disobedience of a public servant's order — against an alleged beggar and a person accused of giving alms at Board Office Square in MP Nagar. A shelter for displaced destitute persons was designated at the Community Health Centre in Kolar.

The Limits of Enforcement-Only Approaches

The cycle of crackdown and relapse in Bhopal underscores a broader challenge: enforcement alone has not produced lasting results. Indore's model, which included rehabilitation components such as shelter and livelihood support, is widely cited as a more comprehensive approach. The current drive's focus areas are expected to include prominent public spaces and busy traffic intersections, though details on rehabilitation measures have not yet been specified by the administration.

What Happens Next

The administration's directive places accountability on SDMs at the sub-division level, signalling an intent for decentralised, regular monitoring. Whether this iteration moves beyond enforcement to address the socioeconomic conditions that drive begging will determine if the campaign outlasts its predecessors.