As per Section 24 (1) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 [JJ Act], whoever, employs or uses any juvenile or the child for the purpose or causes any juvenile to beg shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.
Further, Section 24 (2) of the JJ Act provides whoever, having the actual charge of, or control over, a juvenile or the child abets the commission of the offence punishable under sub-section (1), shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and shall also be liable to fine.
Moreover, Section 25 of the JJ Act provides whoever gives, or causes to be given, to any juvenile or the child any intoxicating liquor in a public place or any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance accept upon the order of duly qualified medical practitioner or in case of sickness shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine.
The responsibility of implementation of the JJ Act lies with the State Government/UT Administrations.
In order to support States/UTs for implementation of the provisions of the JJ Act and for rehabilitation and reintegration of children in difficult circumstance including child beggars, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) is implementing a centrally sponsored Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).
Under ICPS, financial assistance is provided to the States /UTs for, inter-alia, undertaking a situational analysis of children in difficult circumstances at district level, based on which the State prepare their Action Plans for Child Protection.Financial assistance under ICPS is also provided to States/UTs for setting up and maintenance of various types of Homes, including Children Homes and Open Shelters being set up within the community in urban and semi urban areas for such children.
These Homes/Shelters provide facilities and services such as food, shelter, age appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care and counselling with a focus on their long term rehabilitation. The Scheme also provides for family based non-institutional care through adoption, sponsorship and foster-care.
Under the scheme, 1253 Homes including Children Homes and 193 Open shelters are supported covering 66,153 and 7,530 children respectively as on 31st January, 2014.
