Now, a Prison Bazaar has been opened in Tuticorin sub-jail. Products made by the inmates of the Central Prison in Palayamkottai have found a place in Tuticorin. The outlet on the sub-jail campus is open to the public, who could taste different items.
Apart from being reformed and rehabilitated, the prisoners have turned productive, according to R. Kanagaraj, Superintendent of Prisons, Central Prison, Palayamkottai.
Sweets, savouries, candles, notebooks, shirts and other products, made by the inmates, were available in the bazaar for sale. Twenty six varieties of sweet and savoury items were on sale, he said. Consumers could get a kilogram of sweet at Rs. 130 and a kilo of ‘karam’ at Rs. 140 in this bazaar. Shirts, priced from Rs. 250 to Rs. 400, were also on display.
A Prison Bazaar had been opened in Nagercoil district jail too. Besides, plans were afoot to set up similar Prison Bazaars in Srivaikuntam district jail and Kokarakulam women’s sub- jail, he told The Hindu .
Products were for sale at lesser prices when compared to market prices. More importantly, Mr. Kanagaraj said that the bazaar of Palayamkottai Central Prison had achieved the highest turnover among the Prison Bazaars in the State in the last three months.
The Prison Bazaar at Palayamkottai set up in February 2014 netted a turnover of Rs. 92,000 in the first month. But, the turnover had been growing.
At the end of March, the bazaar at Palayamkottai prison witnessed a turnover of Rs.9.08 lakh, , and in April, it was Rs. 9.64 lakh.
Superintendent of Tuticorin Sub-Jail V. Sittarasu said products could also be obtained in bulk from the bazaar. The prison authorities from Chennai and Tiruchi sought consumer response for bakery products, he added.
