Cuttack district continues to remain on top in the list of beggars in the State this year, informed Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Minister Ashok Chandra Panda in the State Assembly on Saturday.
Of the total 5,950 beggars identified in the State, highest 1,060 are in Cuttack followed by Ganjam district (545), Sundargarh (423) and Puri (366). Deogarh records the lowest of three beggars.
Last year also, Cuttack had registered the highest 1,060 number of beggars.
Baleswar district registers 131 beggars, Bhadrak 128, Dhenkanal 132, Jagatsinghpur 61, Jajpur 69, Jharsuguda 38, Kandhamal 73, Malkangiri 28, Kendrapada 22, Keonjhar 189, Khordha 53 and Boudh 6.
Angul and Khodha districts record a sharp increase in the numbers with 205 and 197 beggars, respectively, as against 97 and 53 last year. The Kalahandi figure has dropped to 74 from 214 last year.
Notably, in 2018, the SSEPD Department had launched a special drive to make the State beggar-free.
