Puzhal inmates to soon bake up a storm, Tihar-style

‘Win by quality' is going to be the mantra of the prison authorities in Tamil Nadu.

Even as the ambitious prison bazaar concept is set to take shape, the State government on Tuesday issued orders sanctioning a bakery for the Puzhal central prison complex. The prison authorities are planning large-scale production of high quality bakery items, which will be priced reasonably.

Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) S.K. Dogra will soon visit Tihar Jail in New Delhi, which has a successful bakery model. The bakery there produces bread, a variety of biscuits, cakes and savouries and among its clients are the Parliament House, the Delhi High Court, other courts and many Government departments.

“We want to win by quality. Advanced bakery machinery will be procured and we will enter into a tie-up with the supplier for providing training to the inmates on the making of quality bakery items. Besides catering to the requirements of Government and private organisations, we may even think of establishing outlets at public places such as railway stations, bus stands etc,” Mr. Dogra said on Wednesday.

The bakery products will go with the brand name – ‘Freedom'. They are expected to hit the market in about six months.

To start with, the bakery would be established in the Puzhal central prison. “Depending on the response, we will consider extending the facility to other central prisons. We are trying to provide multiple avenues like education, training and employment for prisoners to reform,” he said.