In its bid to decongest prisons, the Centre has decided to launch a special scheme to provide financial support to poor undertrials languishing in jails for being unable to afford the bail amount.
“This will enable poor prisoners, the majority of whom belong to socially disadvantaged or marginalised groups with lower education and income level, to get out of prison,” the Union Home Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The Ministry said the broad contours of the scheme — Support for Poor Prisoners — have been finalised in consultation with stakeholders.
To ensure the benefits of the scheme reach the poor prisoners, technology-driven solutions will be put in place and the e-prisons platform will be reinforced.
District Legal Services Authority will be strengthened and stakeholders will be sensitised besides emphasis on capacity building.
In her Budget speech this year, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced provision of financial support to poor prisoners who are unable to afford their penalties or bail amounts.
The Home Ministry said the Government is taking various steps to address the issue of undertrials in prisons. Under this, one of the announcements is “Support for Poor Prisoners”. Other steps include inserting Section 436A in the Criminal Procedure Code and inserting a new chapter XXIA “Plea Bargaining” in the CrPC.
Free legal aid is being provided to poor prisoners through the Legal Services Authority at various levels, the Ministry said.
“Further to ensure the benefits of the Budget are extended across all intended sections of society, one of the priorities of the Budget, namely the guiding ‘Saptarishis’ is reaching the last mile,” it added.
Prisons are an important part of the criminal justice system and play a significant role in upholding the rule of law and the Home Ministry has been sharing important guidelines with State Governments through various advisories issued from time to time, the Ministry said.