Nha Trang City People's Committee has submitted a proposal for extending a scheme to rid Nha Trang City of beggars by 2025 to Khanh Hoa People's Committee...
Nha Trang City People’s Committee has submitted a proposal for extending a scheme to rid Nha Trang City of beggars by 2025 to Khanh Hoa People’s Committee. The funding for the next stage of the scheme is approximately VND10.7 billion.
Satisfactory results
In 2016, Nha Trang City People’s Committee issued a scheme to rid Nha Trang City of beggars in the period 2015 - 2020 approved by Khanh Hoa Peoples’ Committee. The number of beggars has decreased significantly together with improved public awareness of the issue over the past 4 years of the operation.
More than 300 beggars used to be reported present in Nha Trang City a year. Since the development of the scheme, the number of vagrants in the city center, on main streets or at tourist sites has decreased considerably. Beggars residing in Nha Trang have declined by 80%. There are now basically no beggars at tourist sites and pagodas such as Ponagar Temples, Long Son Pagoda, Cat Pagoda, Cau Da Port, Dam Market, Xom Moi Market and on main streets. Just few beggars are found individually sometimes.
From April 2016 to early 2020, the team 524 in charge of dealing with the street begging issue coordinated with local authorities to prompt roundup of 492 beggars and send them to Khanh Hoa Social Service Center. Through the hotline, the team 524 received 165 calls about beggars and 103 were found.
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Besides, the team was also notified of suspected cases of children forced into beggary and coerced to produce earnings. However, no such case has been confirmed after verification. Especially, the team closely cooperated with local authorities and relevant agencies when dealing with the roundup of beggars, following required procedures. No complaint about the operation has been reported so far.
After 4 years of implementing the scheme, street beggars have decreased by two-thirds compared to the first year of the launch. Most of them are from other localities (accounting for more than 80%), according to Nguyen Sy Khanh, Vice-Chairman of Nha Trang City People's Committee.
The scheme needs extending
At present, there are basically no beggars on main streets. However, they have moved to small lanes, roadside shops, filling stations and parks. Some even disguised themselves as vendors, lottery ticket sellers, disabled people, etc. Besides, a few foreign beggars are seen recently in public places in Nha Trang, a tourist city with many international visitors. There is no legal base for roundup of foreign beggars.
Based on achievements, Nha Trang City People's Committee has proposed extending the scheme of no beggars in Nha Trang City till 2025 to the Provincial People's Committee. The ultimate goal is to thoroughly and effectively deal with the street begging issue so as to improve civic culture and build a friendly and civilized tourism environment.
The scheme, if approved to be extended, will create a strong change in awareness and behavior of all levels, sectors and the whole society. The city strives to be virtually with no beggars by 2025, contributing to creating civic culture and maintaining civilized and friendly tourism environment. Foreign beggars will be cared for, verified and then sent back to their home countries, following required procedures, says Nguyen Sy Khanh.
Reportedly, Khanh Hoa People’s Committee has assigned Khanh Hoa Department of Labor, War Invalids & Social Affairs to cooperate with relevant agencies to consider the proposal of Nha Trang City’s People’s Committee to provide consultancy. Khanh Hoa Department of Labor, War Invalids & Social Affairs has sent the proposal to local departments and agencies to collect ideas and suggestions on solutions to street begging in the locality.
Dinh Lam
Translated by N.T
