Telephone service would be provided to inmates of Tihar Central Jail so that they are able to better communicate with their family members, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said on Tuesday during a visit to the jail premises.
The Chief Minister, who inaugurated a Vocational Training Institute for prisoners at Jail No.2. as also a visitation centre and cafeteria, said Tihar Jail was becoming a world-class correctional institute. The jails in Delhi, she said, have earned the distinction of becoming qualitative reform centres that provide opportunity for bringing about a positive change in attitude of the inmates.
Accompanied by Principal Secretary (Home) G.S. Patnaik and Director General (Prison) B.K. Gupta during the visit, Ms. Dikshit said the Delhi Government has been developing model jails in the city which were without doubt the best in India and Asia. She said Delhi Prisons lays great emphasis towards recreational and rehabilitative activities such as sports, cultural programs, yoga and meditation, counselling, legal aid and vocational training.
The Chief Minister said an offer was also received recently from a business house that promised jobs to those released prisoners who maintained good conduct inside the prisons. This, she said, would ensure that prisoners do not have to indulge in any criminal activity for sustenance.
Describing the setting up the Vocational Training Institute as a landmark step, she said it would provide training to prisoners to improve their vocational skills and employability and to prepare them for employment or self-employment after their release.
Established under the Skill Initiative Incentive Scheme (SDIS) of the Union Ministry of Labour, the Institute has been opened with the assistance of Directorate of Training and Technical Education of the Delhi Government.
It was mentioned that Tihar Jail has identified 80 modular employable skills courses in 14 sectors – including automotive repair, beauty culture and hair dressing, carpet, electrical, fabrication, garment making, hospitality, khadi, printing, refrigeration and air-conditioning, sweets, snacks and food, construction, wood work and food processing and preservation – for training the inmates so that they lead normal lives after their release.
Ms. Dikshit informed that prisoners registered under various courses would be imparted theoretical knowledge as well as practical training by expert technical instructors. The active participation of the private sector and industry was also being tied up. The minimum qualification in most of the courses is Class V pass and minimum age is 14 years. This Institute will provide short-term training courses varying from 60 hours to 480 hours.
The trainee inmates will be tested by an independent assessing body appointed by the Labour Ministry after every three months. The training fee would be between Rs.500 and Rs.2,000 depending on the course and for candidates belonging to SC/ST category and women will get relaxation of 25 per cent in the fee.
The certificates for the courses will be awarded to the trainees by the National Council for Vocational Training and they will not bear the name of Tihar Jail. About 400 inmates have been selected in Central Jail No.2 for various courses started from October 10 and the scheme would soon be extended to other jails at Tihar.
During the Chief Minister’s visit, it was also announced that there was a proposal to construct new jails at Narela, Ghitorni and Baprola to decongest existing prisons. A new jail complex consisting of six jails is coming up at Mandoli for lodging about 3,500 prisoners and it is likely to be completed in 2010.
