Pune Tops List As Over 3,800 Street Children Enrolled In Schools Under Innovative Outreach Program
Pune Tops List As Over 3,800 Street Children Enrolled In Schools Under Innovative Outreach Program ( Representative Image )
In a significant move to rehabilitate children forced into begging on the streets, the Maharashtra Women and Child Development Department has successfully enrolled 3,803 such children from five major cities—Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, and Nagpur—into the mainstream education system.
Through a special initiative launched using mobile outreach teams, children begging at traffic signals and busy city corners were identified. These teams visited traffic-congested areas, located children involved in begging, and sensitised both the children and their parents about the importance of education. Many parents initially expressed concerns over income loss and logistics, asking, “Who will take the child to school and bring them back?” However, with counselling from officers and teachers, parents gave consent, and the children were enrolled in nearby schools.
Pune city emerged with the highest number—1,679 children—who were previously seen begging and now attend school regularly. In Mumbai, 810 children were brought into the education system, followed by 750 in Thane, 285 in Nashik, and 279 in Nagpur.
The initiative, initially implemented as a pilot project over four months, received Rs 50 lakh in funding from the central government and is now being expanded statewide. An annual budget of Rs 7.9 crore has been proposed for the broader rollout, expected to begin by August 15, officials from the department confirmed.
These children, once seen with begging bowls in hand, are now holding slates and pencils—embracing a future built on education.
