The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched an umbrella scheme “SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise” on 12.02.2022, which includes two sub-schemes - ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons’ and ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging’. This umbrella scheme covers several comprehensive measures including welfare measures for both transgender persons and persons who are engaged in the act of begging with focus extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counseling, education, skill development, economic linkages etc with the support of State Governments/UTs/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and institutions and others.

The details of the funds allocated for the SMILE scheme is attached in Annexure. Existing infrastructure is to be utilized for implementation of the scheme.

Annexure

Year	Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons (In Crores)	Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons engaged in the Act of Begging (In Crores)	Total (In Crores)
2021-22	25.00	10.00	35.00
2022-23	46.31	15.00	61.31
2023-24	52.91	20.00	72.91
2024-25	63.90	25.00	88.90
2025-26	76.88	30.00	106.88
Total	265.00	100.00	365.00

 

This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri A. Narayanaswamy in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

 

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MG/RNM

 

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