Convicted for heinous crimes like murder, kidnapping, rape and robbery, many of the 700 prisoners are agreeing for hard labour at the jail as the money they would earn from the work would ensure food for their children and their continuous attendance at school.
Being sole breadwinners for their families is bringing about a change in their attitude, say jail officials adding that the inmates not only finish the work given to them with diligence, but also ask for more work to send extra money back home.
"They realise their families must be going through hard times and that drives them to work harder," officials say.
According to Senior Jail Superintendent A K Mishra, thoughts about their families' troubles also change their attitude to life.
The jail paid Rs 1 lakh for five dozen inmates in the current financial year until the January last. Some prisoners earned as much as Rs 7,000 per year by putting in several extra hours, officials said.
Inmates are paid Rs 18 per day at the prison for their work.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks