By IANS
Patna : An innovative school-cum-home for daughters of beggars will soon come up in Patna to provide them a safe shelter and training in vocational courses, officials said Friday.
The centre, likely to be called Balika Grih, will be set up soon, said Vijay Prakash, state welfare department secretary.
“It will be the first of its kind in Bihar with the sole aim of providing an opportunity for personality development to these girls,” Prakash said.
The Bihar government has approved the project, which will cost the state exchequer Rs.2 million annually.
“The blueprint of the Balika Grih has been prepared and submitted to the government,” welfare department sources said.
One of the main aims of the Balika Grih for girls below 14 years of age is to prevent them from begging. A recent study on beggars revealed that most of their daughters were also forced into begging due to lack of job opportunities.
Apart from education, they will also be trained in dance, singing, handicrafts and fine arts.
According to officials, the move will also help to control trafficking of girls from the state.
A study on street children in Bihar revealed that nearly 200,000 kids, including 50,000 minor girls, were engaged in begging.