Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has directed the State administration officials to draft a plan laying emphasis on modernisation of jails in the State. At the same time, Rawat instructed the officials to start filling up the vacant posts of 300 jail wardens immediately. The instructions came after CM reviewed the state of jail administration with the senior administrative officers in Dehradun on Tuesday.
CM has directed the State Director General of police to deploy six sub-inspectors and 50 constables in the jails on deputation. A work plan should be firmed up to strengthen security in the jails, he stressed. Essential equipment like CCTV cameras, mobile phone jammers, mental detectors, door frame metal detectors and biometric system among others should be installed in all the jails of the State, he said.
Rawat said that his Government would pay special attention on modernisation of the jails in the State. Considering that the jails are overcrowded, additional barracks would come up in Haridwar, Roorkee and Sitarganj jails soon, he said, assuring that funds will be provided in the supplementary budget.
Food items like Manduwa, Jhangora and Gahat should be included in the food menu for the jail inmates, CM said. He also stressed on systematic reform of the jails in line with the modern concept of the jails being made correctional homes. Education and skilled development of the inmates must be kept in mind. The inmates should be trained on manufacturing products and if needed, self-help groups comprising the inmates should be formed. The products made by jail inmates should be taken to the markets for sale. Stalls for selling such products should be set up during Melas being organised in the State and in Delhi.
CM said the jail authorities should purchase daily use items as made by the jail inmates rather than buy them from the open markets.
Stressing on the jail inmates’ health, CM said taken ill, they must be admitted in the hospital with the help of ambulance. Among those present at the meeting were principal secretary (Home) Manisha Panwar, secretary to Chief Minister Mohammad Shahid, secretary in-charge Vinod Sharma, IG (jail) PVK Prasad and other jail officers.