Beggars get heard

India's beggar population is around 17.5 million and yet this tribe does not figure in the plans of policy-makers. Rajya Sabha members were stunned to hear of the hardships of those living off others in times of economic slowdown from Prabha Jhaji (BJP). In addition to suffering from acute hunger, Jhaji cautioned that beggars were prone to be exploited by crime mafias and terror networks too. The MP strongly pleaded that this big chunk of population needs to be cared for.