Steps will be taken soon to clear the Colombo city of beggars which is an eyesore in the metropolis, said Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.
He was addressing a press conference in Kandy.
He said there were nearly 3,500 persons engaged in begging in the city on a full time and part-time basis.
Among them, nearly 600 remained in the city day and night engaged in full time begging while the rest amounting to nearly 3,000 left the city at night after engaging in begging during the day on a part-time basis.
The minister said the full-timers were fully destitute or disabled without anyone to depend on. A systematic programme would be implemented for their benefit.
The government had paid attention towards the possibility of rehabilitating part-time beggars. The minister added that there were nearly 16,000 stray dogs roaming in the city.
He would request animal-friendly societies to render assistance to the government towards the reduction of the density of stray dogs in the city.