- Why in news
- On 20 July 2026 the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said the SMILE Beggary scheme now works in 216 cities and has rehabilitated over 10,200 persons. It plans to cover 35,000 persons and 295 cities by FY 2030-31.
- What it is
- SMILE stands for Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise. It is an umbrella Central Sector scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. One sub-scheme deals with the comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in begging, through shelter, skills, education, healthcare and counselling.
- Full name and ministry
- SMILE is run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment as an umbrella scheme for marginalized individuals.
- Coverage in cities
- The beggary component works in 216 cities now. The target is 295 cities by FY 2030-31, with focus on metros, religious, tourist and historical places.
- Who implements
- Delivery is through the Centre, States, UTs, district administrations, urban local bodies, municipal corporations and implementing agencies, using a convergence approach.
- Digital monitoring
- The SMILE-Beggary National Portal registers and tracks rehabilitation centres and shelter homes.
- Event
- The guidelines were unveiled at a Chintan Shivir with States/UTs held in Chandigarh from 24 to 26 April 2026.
- Coverage areas
- The framework covers preventive healthcare and sanitation, infrastructure, nutrition and food safety, vocational training, legal aid, child and gender sensitivity, and accountability and oversight.
- Convergence
- The guidelines stress convergence with Central and State schemes to bring uniform implementation across States and UTs.
- Implementation
- The Ministry urged States and UTs to implement the guidelines in letter and spirit.
- Scheme type
- SMILE is a Central Sector scheme run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- Launch and ministry
- SMILE was launched on 12 February 2022 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- Beggary sub-scheme coverage
- The beggary sub-scheme is operational in 181 selected cities, with Implementing Authorities such as district administrations and urban local bodies.
- Transgender health cover
- Transgender persons get health cover in convergence with PM-JAY, including gender-reaffirmation procedures at empanelled hospitals.
- National Council for Transgender Persons
- The Council is a statutory body that advises the Centre on policy and legislation and monitors welfare schemes.
- Beggary sub-scheme reach
- The beggary rehabilitation sub-scheme is operational in 181 selected cities.
- Rehabilitation numbers
- As on 31 January 2026, 30,257 persons were identified as begging and 8,129 were rehabilitated.
- Monitoring
- Centres and shelter homes are registered and monitored on the SMILE-Beggary National Portal; Garima Grehs are geotagged.
- Goal
- The objective is Bhiksha Vritti Mukt Bharat (Begging-Free India).
- Skilling gap
- No beneficiary from the begging or transgender community was certified under PM-DAKSH in 2024-25.
Don’t confuse with Model guidelines vs law: Model guidelines are advisory for uniform practice; they are not a statute. Begging is dealt with under State laws, often based on the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959.
Don’t confuse with SMILE vs PM-DAKSH: SMILE is the umbrella rehabilitation scheme; PM-DAKSH is a skill-training scheme for several groups that SMILE uses for transgender persons.
Don’t confuse with Garima Greh vs beggary shelter homes: Garima Grehs are shelters for transgender persons; the beggary sub-scheme uses separate shelter homes for rescued persons.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Gives a rehabilitation route, not just punishment, for a vulnerable group, in line with dignity under Article 21.
- Gives States a common standard for shelter homes, which could improve dignity and quality of care for a vulnerable group.
- Links shelter homes to health, skilling and legal aid schemes, supporting rehabilitation over punishment.
- Gives marginalised groups one framework covering identity, health, skills, shelter and livelihood.
- Supports the goal of a begging-free India and gives effect to the 2019 Transgender Act.
- Gives a rights-based, rehabilitative approach to begging and transgender welfare instead of a punitive one.
Problems
- Begging is still criminalised under many state anti-begging laws, which conflicts with a rehabilitation approach.
- Guidelines are not binding; implementation rests with States, so uptake may vary.
- Shelter homes often face weak funding, staff and monitoring.
- Beggary sub-scheme reach is modest: 9,935 rehabilitated against 31,055 identified, in only 181 cities.
- Stigma, lack of documents and weak state enforcement, such as cells set up in only 20 States/UTs, limit outcomes.
- Only about 27% of identified persons are rehabilitated, and coverage is limited to 181 cities.
- Zero PM-DAKSH certifications show weak convergence with skilling schemes.
Way forward
- Decriminalise begging and tie rehabilitation to skilling, housing and social security convergence.
- Tie guidelines to regular audits and public reporting by States.
- Convergence with skilling, health and housing schemes with clear funding.
- Expand coverage beyond selected cities and speed up documentation through the National Portal.
- Build follow-up, de-addiction and job linkages, and ensure every State sets up protection cells and welfare boards.
- Link beneficiaries to skilling, health and ID schemes, and expand shelters, including Garima Grehs, with portal-based monitoring.
Put in your answer
SMILE scheme: Umbrella Central Sector scheme with a sub-scheme for comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in begging.
Model guidelines 2026: Framework with accountability and oversight, legal aid and child and gender sensitivity for shelter homes.
NALSA judgment: The Supreme Court in NALSA v Union of India (2014) recognised transgender persons as a third gender with constitutional rights.
- 2013Mains GS2 · Q12Critically evaluate restructuring of Centrally sponsored schemes for vulnerable sections' flexibility.
- 2026Mains GS2 · Q1Examine effect of 2026 amendment to Transgender Persons Act on self-identity privacy.
- 2019Mains GS2 · Q18Discuss why welfare schemes for vulnerable sections are ineffective due to low awareness.
- 2023Mains GS2 · Q17Whether welfare schemes for vulnerable are discriminatory; agree with reasons.
- 2016Mains GS4 · Q11Officer's dilemma helping destitute illiterate woman lacking eligibility documents.
- 2010Prelims Q97Statements on National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy 2007's scope and ministry.
- 2016Prelims Q16Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan aims to rehabilitate destitute and homeless persons with livelihood.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The beggary rehabilitation sub-scheme of SMILE is operational in all districts of the country.
- 2.Garima Greh shelter homes for transgender persons are run by Community Based Organisations with financial assistance from the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- 3.The National Council for Transgender Persons is a non-statutory advisory body set up by an executive order.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 6
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The beggary sub-scheme of SMILE is currently operational in all districts of the country.
False. It is operational in 181 selected cities.
2.Garima Greh shelter homes are run by Community Based Organisations with financial assistance from the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
True. CBOs run Garima Grehs with DoSJE funding.
3.Health cover for transgender persons under SMILE is delivered through convergence with PM-JAY and covers gender-reaffirmation procedures at empanelled hospitals.
True. The health package converges with PM-JAY.
4.The National Council for Transgender Persons is a non-statutory advisory body set up by executive order.
False. It is a statutory body constituted under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
5.The National Portal for Transgender Persons is the single digital gateway for issuing Transgender Certificates and Identity Cards.
True. Certificates and ID cards are issued through the National Portal.
6.PM-DAKSH is a skill programme of the Ministry of Rural Development meant only for transgender persons.
False. PM-DAKSH serves SCs, OBCs, EBCs, Safai Karamcharis and transgender persons; it is a social justice ministry programme.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The SMILE scheme, reviewed by PIB in April 2026, offers a unified framework for the rehabilitation of transgender persons and persons engaged in begging. Examine the key provisions of the scheme and discuss the challenges in achieving its objectives of inclusion and livelihood for these marginalised groups.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.