Shillong, Aug 21 - Meghalaya is set to ban begging in public by making it a criminal offence, officials Friday said.

'Beggars are surely a hazard to society and the sight of pestering beggars is greatly embarrassing for the city as we get lots of tourists, both domestic and international,' Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh told journalists.

The government will launch a drive to free the streets of capital Shillong and other important towns in the state from beggars, most of them from outside the state, beginning Sep 1.

'We shall have to push them back to make the city clean,' the minister said.

The government plan to eliminate begging comes after several complaints received by the authorities from locals and tourists about being harassed by beggars.

'We are concerned about the image and environment of our state. The beggars pester people and don't give a very appealing picture of the city,' John Marbaniang, a community elder, told IANS.