BENGALURU: Observing that exploiting beggars without paying fair wages for the work they have done at rehabilitation centres amounts to violation of human rights and right to life and liberty guaranteed under the Constitution, Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty has recommended the Central Relief Committee (CRC) of the state government to pay fair wages to them on par with the payment made to convicted prisoners.
“Out of Rs 175 per day, the CRC can deduct Rs 100 towards expenditure and credit a sum of Rs 75 to the account of inmates after opening the same. For this purpose, the CRC is required to open an account in the name of each of beggar and credit to his account on or before seventh of each month the wages he/she earns the preceding month,” Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty said in the directions issued to the CRC on Friday.
“If for any reason the inmate in the centre is not in a position to turn out the minimum number of hours prescribed, he/she should be paid only Rs 38 per day. Further, if he/she has not carried out any work, no amount needs be paid”, Lokayukta said.
The Lokayukta’s recommendation came after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) paid Rs 50 crore beggary cess to CRC out of more than Rs 150 crore dues after the intervention of Justice Shetty. “On release of the inmate/beggar from the centre, the bank pass book and the cheque leaves should be handed over to him/her, clearly indicating the amount that has been credited to his/her account in the bank, wherever possible,” the Lokayukta said.
“It was stated in the order passed by the Lokayukta that if a beggar is not in a position to operate the bank account on his/her own, proper arrangement should be made to protect the wages he/she has earned to be paid to at the time of release till he joins his family members or relatives,” the Lokayukta said while registering suo motu proceedings on the issue and directing Chandra Naik, secretary of CRC, to file the compliance report with regard to the directions with regard to the enhancement of the wages within three months.
The Lokayukta had recommended enhancing the wages after he came to know that meagre wages of Rs 10 per day is being paid to an inmate. Pursuant to this on June 27, 2019, wages were enhanced to Rs 25 per day. On this, the Lokayukta said, “I am prima facie of the view that the fixation of the wages payable to the inmates of centres at Rs 25 per day is on a lesser side’.