The Central government would give money to states to improve the basic amenities in prisons and the living conditions of the prisoners.
A total of 2,37,076 under-trials are in the country’s prisons, which means 66.2% of total inmates in all the jails are under-trials.
The total number of inmates in country’s jails is to the tune of 3,58,368. Addressing the participants at the All India Conference of Ministers, Secretaries and Directors and Inspectors General in-charge of prisons here Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said states should fully utilise the funds given to them by the Central government under the Scheme for Modernisation of Prisons. He sought the states to take a long-term view and assess the requirements of the future while planning the establishment of new prisons and related infrastructure.
The Home Minister stressed the importance of using new technologies in prison administration and called for taking help of experts and professionals in this area and pointed out the possibility of involving NGOs in correctional and reformation activities.
Country’s prisons with a total capacity of 2,46,497 have already exceeded it by at least 1,11,871 prisoners. The under-trial and convict ratio which was 1:2 during pre-independence era and now it is 7:1.
