Direct sale of consumer products manufactured by women prisoners to public has become a reality with the commissioning of the Prison Bazaar at the entrance of the Special Prison for Women here.
This is the first prison bazaar to have been opened up at a Special Prison for Women in the State which accounts for three such jails situated at Puzhal in Chennai, Tiruchi and Vellore.
The newly opened bazaar will sell a slew of products produced by the inmates lodged in the Special Prison for Women located near the Gandhi Market area. In addition to products made by women prisoners, the bazaar would sell a range of items made by the male prisoners lodged in the Central Prison here. Bakery items, different types of pickles, cookies and night dress made by women prisoners would be kept on display for sale. Sweets, savouries and garments made by male prisoners besides vegetables grown within the sprawling Central Prison complex would find place in the shelves of the bazaar.
A group of 20 convicts serving lengthy terms were being engaged in the manufacture of consumer products in the Special Prison for Women here as a rehabilitation initiative. The women prison at present accommodates 150 prisoners of which 70 were convicts. The products made by the women inmates would be sold at a lesser cost, jail officials here said.
Profit accrued through sale of products would be distributed as wages to the women convicts involved in this micro-level industrial activity. Hitherto, the products especially pickles made by women convicts were sent to Central Prisons functioning at Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Cuddalore, Madurai and Palayamkottai. Pickles would continue to be sent to other Central Prisons, officials added. The prison bazaar which was opened on Friday would be run by jail staff. Plans were afoot to start a food court at the prison bazaar, the official said.