The Chhattisgarh Government has plans of setting up Masala (condiment) making units in every Central Jail in the State, officials stated.
The State Government is trying to develop jails in Chhattisgarh as ‘Correctional Centers’, Chief Minister Raman Singh had stated while addressing the first passing out parade of Jail Guards at Home Guards Training Center at Mana early this month.
We are constructing new jails apart from improving infrastructure and augmenting present capacity of old jails, he had stated.
Singh said that the State Government will provide skill development training to jail inmates and will try to enhance their skills to that after they enter society’s mainstream, they could start a new life, he added.
According to the Chief Minister, very soon an Open Jail capable of accommodating 500 persons will be set up in Bemetara.
The Chhattisgarh Government now has video conferencing facility in a total of seven jails of the State.
The facility is available at Central Jail Raipur, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, District Jail Kanker and Jashpur and Sub-jail Ramanujganj, officials stated.
The Central Government has budgeted `13.30 crore for jail improvement activities. Offset printing press has been set up at central jails of Raipur and Bilaspur.
It may be recalled that the Chhattisgarh Home Department had approved Rs 286.22 crore in 2014-15 for construction of various offices and residential quarters besides other infrastructural development of police establishments.
Moreover, `150 crores have been approved for construction and renovation of buildings of 75 police stations in insurgency infested districts of the State.
Construction of three buildings have already been completed and handed over to Police Department.
Six other buildings are nearing completion, while construction of remaining 66 buildings is in process, officials stated.
For infrastructural development in Police Department, the Home Department has approved `22 crores for construction of Armoury and magazine building, purchase of weaponry, telecommunication and security
equipments.
An amount of `7.91 crore have been approved for offices and administrative buildings of various battalions.
This includes Second Battalion based in Sakri (Bilaspur), Seventh Battalion based in Bhilai, 17th Battalion based in Kabeerdham and 18th Battalion based in Manendragarh.
The Department has approved `1.98 crore for each battalion. An amount of `1.75 crore have been approved for construction of multi-storey barracks in Fourth Battalion based at Mana.
Other than offices and administrative buildings, the Home Department is also paying attention on facilitation of residential quarters for officials-employees.
Police Department has approved `40.16 crore for construction of residential buildings for officials and employees (including 200 non-gazetted and 304 constables) posted in various Battalions, based at Raipur, Koriya, Dhamtari, Janjgir-Champa, Mahasamund and Raigarh.
Besides, `62.50 crore have been provisioned in previous fiscal year for construction of residential quarters of 144 non-gazetted and 676 constables in various districts of State.