No official data on number of beggars, drug addicts
November 29th, 2010 - 9:27 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Even as drug abuse and begging continue to be major social problems, the government Monday admitted it has no data regarding the number of drug addicts or beggars in the country.
“There is no authentic data to conclusively indicate that there is an increase in the number of drug addicts, opium, poppy husk and pills consumers across the country,” Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment D. Napoleon said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
“The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) was requested to carry out a survey on ‘Prevalence and Dependence on Harmful Drugs in Mumbai, Punjab and Manipur’. The NSSO report on the survey has not been finalized,” the minister said.
In reply to a separate question, he said: “There is no authentic data available on the prevalence and presence of beggars across the country.”
However, the minister highlighted the measures being taken to fight the social problem.
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- No one cures Punjab's drug problem (Punjab Newsletter) - Feb 10, 2012
- Cases of Scheduled Caste women's rape rose 2004-08 - Aug 12, 2010
- Atrocities against scheduled castes, tribes down in 9 years - Aug 18, 2011
- Delhi temples, gurudwaras roped in for anti-begging drive - Apr 29, 2010
- Punjab drug scene hits a new 'high' - Nov 22, 2010
- UN survey finds 'major drug abuse' in Afghanistan - Jun 21, 2010
- Afghanistan producing more opium: official - Nov 22, 2011
- 'One mn Afghans suffer from drug addiction' - Jul 11, 2012
- Cabinet allows private sector to produce poppy concentrate - Jan 12, 2012
- Lives in peril: Inside Manipur's drug zone - Dec 13, 2011
- Himachal women on mission to uproot cannabis (Feature) - Jul 12, 2011
- Eliminate beggary in humane manner, states told - Nov 11, 2010
- New policy soon to stop drug abuse - Jun 26, 2010
Tags: authentic data, beggars, dependence, drug abuse, drug addicts, empowerment, harmful drugs, husk, Lok Sabha, minister of state, napoleon, national sample survey, New Delhi, nsso, opium poppy, pills, prevalence, punjab, reply, social justice