Every problem has its solution in itself. In this case, if these so-called beggars can be transformed into responsible citizens of tomorrow, beggars won’t be a menace any longer. I believe rehabilitation centres should be built, where the beggars can be trained in skills that’ll help them to be self-reliant. As a result they will not only learn to earn an independent living but also understand the dignity of labour and the dignity of their own existence. It also becomes our responsibility to encourage and inspire them to lead a meaningful life. Therefore, instead of offering them alms we can use the money to build an institution where they can learn to become self-reliant.

— Neeraj Dangol

I don’t think we have a right to say anything about beggars unless we create opportunities for all to earn a decent livelihood. In my opinion, if you are comfortable, provide them what you can, or rather speak against those who’ve brought about their miserable condition.

— Raj Sharma

Beggars beg, not just because they like it, but because they lack opportunities where their labour could have had a constructive use. Nevertheless, we should also take note of the

fact that this trend has been encouraging indolence. Now, people do not want to work hard and enjoy begging rather than working. So, rather than giving them the fish itself, it’s better to teach them how to fish. The government should also take measures to create awareness and provide them work depending on their capabilities.

— Smarika Rijal

Beggars are a nuisance, especially when they pester you for money at public places. It’s

as embarrassing. If there isn’t any other alternative for them to earn a livelihood, the government is responsible to look after them. It is even better if the government trained them so that they could reap enough benefits out of opportunities at their disposal.

— Neelotpal Sharma

It is good to be generous towards the poor and the disadvantaged. But it is also a fact this practice has bred indolence. In my opinion, the best possible way to avoid this problem is to let a charitable institution take care of the helpless and the disabled.

— Anita Gurung

People do not readily accept defeats at the hands of fate. However, it’s always been the survival of the fittest. Life has to go on and we have to survive at all costs. We cannot ignore reality on the basis of ideology. Would anyone, who’d have earned his livelihood in a respectable way, choose to beg? Definitely not. Poor economy, political instability and unemployment is the reason for the emergence new breed of beggars.

— Amit K Joshi

There’s of course nothing wrong in helping the needy, but we are committing a crime if we are donating to hale and hearty beggars. These beggars do not only pester us, but also tourists, which has tarnished our image. The government should take effective measures to control this problem, whereas it should also provide protection to the old, handicapped and the needy.

— Saroj Bhurtel

The beggar population has burgeoned over time. Earlier beggars were happy to take whatever they were offered but not now. The situation has further aggravated because of sufficient employment opportunities. The most effective and efficient way to check this kind of practice is giving them work and show them a way to earn money so that they can earn their livelihood without having to beg.

— Binay Nath Shrestha

It is good to be generous to the poor. But this act of generosity should extend within a limit. I would prefer giving alms to the disabled and elderly, while discourage the others. Being overly generous to them will only encourage them to beg for more.

— Ayush Dhaubanjar

There is no doubt that every religion claims to support and uplift mankind with their own set of reasoning. Almost all these religions stress on our need to support the less fortunate ones. But at the same time, we need to understand that help should be appropriate so that they won’t need to beg to earn their living. It is better if we establish a fund to take care of these people rather than doling out our hard earned money in the streets.

— Yatri

Yes, our supportive culture makes beggars lazy and they never try to earn their own bread. The best possible way to get rid of the begging menace is to train them to earn their own livelihood. Training on handicrafts would be the best because all it needs is a few training classes.

— Aditya Mundhara

It is surprising that while some beggars are happy to accept whatever is offered, some nreasonably make exorbitant demands for money. We should help those in need, but it must rather be the responsibility of the government to take care of them.

— Deepa Singh

Once a young woman came to me begging for some money that quite surprised me. The woman was young and healthy and could have earned her livelihood otherwise. So, before I fished out some money form my pocket I advised her to work for living instead of begging. But, what we she replied surprised me even more. She asserted that begging was her family profession and doing anything other than begging would be a violation of the sacrosanct tradition. Though, there might be many other reasons like poverty and unemployment that has forced people to beg, it is education that can help people to overcome such misconceptions about obsolete sacrosanct values.

— Eklaxmi Nepal

It is true many culture and religion allow the poor and disadvantaged to live on alms, but I don’t think they’ve also been allowed to pester people for money. It seems that these ungrateful beggars have forgotten that alms are offered out of a desire and not out of compulsion. What these beggars don’t seem to appreciate is the respect for the dignity of labour.

— Shertok Lama

Our generosity has been wrongly interpreted and people are taking undue advantage of it. Almost no one would deny that it is the duty of the financially fortunate to help the needy, but it doesn’t mean that the poor should depend on the mercy of the wealthy ones and take to begging as a profession. If religion teaches people to be generous towards the poor it also teaches them to be self-reliant. Adopting begging as a profession is only an excuse for those who don’t want to toil to earn their living.

— Ambika Pandey

Mostly even the young and the physically fit put on the garb of a sadhu to swindle the rich. They even go to the extent of besmearing their face with ashes with chanting dud incantation of ‘Shree ram’, ‘Hare Ram’ and sporting ragged clothes to get pitied-upon. In the twenty-first century, is it the right way to earn a living? If they should be pitied at all, it should only be the aged and the physically challenged people.

— Madhav Magar

No one begs because of his or her religion permits him to do so. I don’t think any religion

encourages begging to earn their living. So there is no point in saying that disadvantaged people beg for the sake of their culture and religion. People beg out of necessity and because of lack of opportunities; for instance, the streets children beg out of necessity rather than choice. I believe the government should be responsible to create employment opportunities

for them.

— Alina Pokhrel

Who are these so-called beggars? They must either have no skill or are too lazy to get work. Most of them resort to the easiest possible way — begging their way. This has indeed emerged as problem of no small proportions. We still can do something and create opportunities for them to work. The best way to address this problem is to collect money and get these so-called beggars clean the public places, which are often unattended. We can arrange to divide the collected amount between those who agree to join hands. In this way we can help them, and at the same time encourage them do something beneficial for the society.

— Cup-ill