In a first in the State, seven women jail inmates have received their driving licence. The inmates, under the age of 45, belong to the Women’s Jail and Correctional Home at Attakulangara.
The jail conducts several job-based skill-training programmes for its inmates as part of their welfare programmes, and when the women, including those sentenced to life, expressed interest in learning how to drive, the jail authorities did not demur. The Vellayani-based JK Motors driving school was roped in to give driving lessons to them.
The training got under way on May 29. Two inmates, accompanied by a jail official, would set out to navigate the city roads. On August 9, the women took the driving test after having attended the RTO’s two-hour class for prospective drivers, and got their licence.
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“The women want to have this skill handy when they got out from jail,” said jail superintendent O.V. Valli.
On Wednesday, H. Gopakumar, Inspector General of Prisons, handed over licences and certificates to the women. In his address, he said men had been given driving training and licences, but this was the first time that women had been given such training. “The inmates will be able to look after their families from the income they earn by driving vehicles,” he said.
He urged the other inmates to come forward to learn driving. “No one should be reluctant. We will provide you training with the government’s support,” he said.
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The training would help them turn over a new leaf and lead productive lives not only for their families but society too, he said.
Correctional institutions
B. Pradeep, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (South Zone) and Director, State Institute of Correctional Administration (Thiruvananthapuram), who presided over the function said modern jails functioned as correctional institutions. The training would help the women get employment when they got out, earn income, and integrate with society successfully.
Chief Welfare Officer at the jail headquarters K.A. Kumaran and former jail superintendent Naseera Beevi were present.
65 inmates
The women’s jail has 65 inmates, 22 of whom are serving sentences while the others are remand prisoners. The jail conducts training for the inmates in umbrella making, sari designing, catering, handicrafts manufacture, Tally, and so on. The driving training is part of the welfare schemes drawn up for them in the 2016-17 financial year. An amount of ₹40,000 was set aside for this.