Hyderabad: The City of Pearls is setting its sights on a shimmering new goal: to become India’s first beggar-free city by the year 2030. Through the newly launched Hope for Hyderabad campaign, the Telangana government is weaving together compassion and planning to uplift thousands living on the margins. Launched by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the initiative aims to help over 10,000 people who beg on the streets, not by punishment but by empowerment.
“No one chooses this life willingly. It’s time we offer more than sympathy—we must offer solutions,” he said. Twenty rehabilitation centers are set to blossom across the city, like havens for healing. Here, residents will find not just food and shelter, but healthcare, warm counseling, and pathways into trades like tailoring, plumbing, and digital literacy—skills that bring dignity and possibility. NGOs like Helping Hands and Skill India stand shoulder to shoulder with the government, sowing seeds of change. To guard against exploitation, a dedicated task force will root out begging rackets driven by crime.
And as a gesture of trust, GHMC plans to employ those who complete training in civic jobs, offering stable work in sanitation and upkeep. Public reactions ripple with hope and doubt. Some, like IT professional Ananya Rao, believe the effort brings overdue relief to children at traffic signals. Others, like activist Mohammed Ali, warn that without fixing deeper issues—unemployment and rural hardship—the cycle may return. The government has pledged ₹500 crore in this first phase and invites corporate hands to join the effort. If it blossoms as planned, Hyderabad’s journey could inspire similar transformations across India—a roadmap drawn not with cement and steel, but with empathy and resolve.
