Centre to focus on the phase two of modernization of prisons from the next financial year; says Union Home Minister (14.11.2014)
Press Release
New Delhi, 14thNovember,2014
The Union Home Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh today said that from the next financial year, the Centre would focus on the phase two of modernization of prisons. He assured that despite prisons being a State subject, the Centre would make all efforts to provide funds to them for their modernization. The Centre had provided Rs.18 hundered crores during the first phase of modernization of prisons.
Addressing the Concluding Session of the two-day National Seminar on Prison Reforms organised by the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Singh said that the Centre is committed to implementing the recommendations of the NHRC with the cooperation from States. He said that in some prisons, there was improvement, but by and large, the jails were in really a very bad shape. The skill development of prisoners was not upto the expectations. The Home Ministry had issued several advisories to the States on various aspects of prison reforms based on several recommendations, including overcrowding. A Model Prison Manual has also been prepared which also required some modifications.
He appreciated the NHRC for reviewing the action taken by States on several recommendations about prison reforms and said that he would also visit some prisons in the country to see how many recommendations of the Commission had been implemented.
Earlier, the NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said that there should be uniformity in Prison Manuals so that prisoners in the jails of different States get the same privileges. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs can also suggest some Model Rules for amendment in the 1894 Prison Act. He said that the action taken reports of different States presented some good picture of reforms in prisons, however, a lot was required to be done. States needed to spend more on prison reforms.
Justice Balakrishnan said that a large number of courts were required to be set up to clear the cases so that the undertrial prisoners do not stay in jails beyond one year to avoid overcrowding which may lead to violation of basic human rights of inmates.
Highlighting some of the key recommendations of the Seminar, the NHRC Member, Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph said that there was near unanimity that Governments should provide sufficient funds to prisons. He said that prison should be perceived as a "home for corrective and reformative custody and care" and that the prisoners were also entitled for basic human rights within the limitations of imprisonment. Some of the other important recommendations were as follows:
1. The 1894 Prison Act, being very old, is needed to be replaced with a new Prison Act and the NHRC should prepare a draft Bill.
2. Prison Manuals also require amendments with a human rights perspective.
3. All possible measures should be taken to reduce overcrowding which is one of the biggest problems in most of the prisons.
4. A separate Prison and Correctional Services Cadre should be set-up.
5. Promulgate and notify the rights of prisoners in a form of a Charter in multiple languages.
6. Digilatise prisoners' activities and details of all prisoners should be made available on the website of the concerned jail.
7. The bail, parole and farlo, should be made more liberalized.
8. Construct separate prisons for women, which should be managed by women officers and staff.
9. Probation and community services should be exercised by the judiciary as a form of punishment to maximum number of offenders.
10. All Central Prisons should have necessary medical equipments and tele-medicine system should be introduce to address the shortage of doctors.
11. Governments should provide sufficient funds to jails.
12. Environmental friendly devices like solar energy, bio-gas, water harvesting should be set-up to reduce burden on the resources in jails.
13. Provide effective grievance redressal system.
14. Sanitation and potable drinking water facilities should be improved.
15. Skill development and capacity building for prisoners must be given high priority for which public-private partnership model must be exercised.
*****
New Delhi, 14thNovember,2014
The Union Home Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh today said that from the next financial year, the Centre would focus on the phase two of modernization of prisons. He assured that despite prisons being a State subject, the Centre would make all efforts to provide funds to them for their modernization. The Centre had provided Rs.18 hundered crores during the first phase of modernization of prisons.
Addressing the Concluding Session of the two-day National Seminar on Prison Reforms organised by the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Singh said that the Centre is committed to implementing the recommendations of the NHRC with the cooperation from States. He said that in some prisons, there was improvement, but by and large, the jails were in really a very bad shape. The skill development of prisoners was not upto the expectations. The Home Ministry had issued several advisories to the States on various aspects of prison reforms based on several recommendations, including overcrowding. A Model Prison Manual has also been prepared which also required some modifications.
He appreciated the NHRC for reviewing the action taken by States on several recommendations about prison reforms and said that he would also visit some prisons in the country to see how many recommendations of the Commission had been implemented.
Earlier, the NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said that there should be uniformity in Prison Manuals so that prisoners in the jails of different States get the same privileges. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs can also suggest some Model Rules for amendment in the 1894 Prison Act. He said that the action taken reports of different States presented some good picture of reforms in prisons, however, a lot was required to be done. States needed to spend more on prison reforms.
Justice Balakrishnan said that a large number of courts were required to be set up to clear the cases so that the undertrial prisoners do not stay in jails beyond one year to avoid overcrowding which may lead to violation of basic human rights of inmates.
Highlighting some of the key recommendations of the Seminar, the NHRC Member, Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph said that there was near unanimity that Governments should provide sufficient funds to prisons. He said that prison should be perceived as a "home for corrective and reformative custody and care" and that the prisoners were also entitled for basic human rights within the limitations of imprisonment. Some of the other important recommendations were as follows:
1. The 1894 Prison Act, being very old, is needed to be replaced with a new Prison Act and the NHRC should prepare a draft Bill.
2. Prison Manuals also require amendments with a human rights perspective.
3. All possible measures should be taken to reduce overcrowding which is one of the biggest problems in most of the prisons.
4. A separate Prison and Correctional Services Cadre should be set-up.
5. Promulgate and notify the rights of prisoners in a form of a Charter in multiple languages.
6. Digilatise prisoners' activities and details of all prisoners should be made available on the website of the concerned jail.
7. The bail, parole and farlo, should be made more liberalized.
8. Construct separate prisons for women, which should be managed by women officers and staff.
9. Probation and community services should be exercised by the judiciary as a form of punishment to maximum number of offenders.
10. All Central Prisons should have necessary medical equipments and tele-medicine system should be introduce to address the shortage of doctors.
11. Governments should provide sufficient funds to jails.
12. Environmental friendly devices like solar energy, bio-gas, water harvesting should be set-up to reduce burden on the resources in jails.
13. Provide effective grievance redressal system.
14. Sanitation and potable drinking water facilities should be improved.
15. Skill development and capacity building for prisoners must be given high priority for which public-private partnership model must be exercised.
*****