Law Minister Durai Murugan on Thursday said that the objective of setting up Mahatma Gandhi Community Colleges in Central and other major prisons in the State could be achieved only if the prisoners left the prison as employed persons.
Addressing a function held at Central Prison Complex at Puzhal near Red Hills on Thursday, he said though imparting vocational training or conducting degree courses to prison inmates would provide a chance for them to start a fresh life after their release, the probability of their applications for job getting turned down by the employers could not be ruled out.
Thus the Prison Department should organise ‘job melas' in prisons.
The MGCCs in Central and other major prisons, which were formally inaugurated by the Law Minister on Thursday, provides 15 types of vocational programmes such as diploma in Desk Top Publishing, Four Wheeler Mechanism, Home Appliances Repairing and Service, Computer Hardware Servicing, Apparel and Fashion Designing, Beautician, Catering etc. apart from regular educational programmes such as B.A., B.Sc., B.B.A.
The diplomas and degree certificates would be issued by the Tamil Nadu Open University.
Inter-personal relationships, computing skills, and internship would also be inculcated to them to fully prepare them to respectfully assimilate with society upon their release from the prison, he added.
Calling upon the prisoners to make the best use of the MGCC facility for betterment of their lives and as well of their family, Mr.Durai Murugan urged them to restrain from misusing the parole facility. Coming out on parole without any valid reason and committing an offence during parole would only put them in disadvantageous position as their petition for parole at a crucial junction in their life could be rejected, he said.
Fisheries Minister K.P.P.Samy, Tiruvallur MLA E.V.P.Sivaji, ADGP (Prisons) I.K.Tripathi, Registrar, Tamil Nadu Open University, S.Shanmugaiah and others participated.
