In a first in Maharashtra, jail inmates in Nagpur get ATM cards

Around 140 prisoners of Nagpur Jail were allotted State Bank of India (SBI) ATM cards for use inside the premises, with plans to extend the service to all 800 prisoners.

Around 140 prisoners of Nagpur Jail were allotted State Bank of India (SBI) ATM cards for use inside the premises, with plans to extend the service to all 800 prisoners.

The debit cards were distributed by the additional DGP Dr Upadhyaya and the SBI deputy general manager, Nagpur Zone, B Shankar in the presence of Jail Superintendent Yogesh Desai and Assistant GM, SBI, Nagpur Zone, Rakesh Sinha.

The project is likely to be implemented in nine jails across the state.

“Over 10,000 inmates in nine Central prisons across Maharashtra will be extended the facility. Nagpur has been chosen as a pilot project,” Dr Upadhyaya said.

The inmates can swipe the cards in the canteen to purchase daily use items like soaps, hair oil, eatables against the payment they receive for doing works on the premises.

Upadhyaya further said prisoners practising Yoga are entitled for remission up to a maximum of three months.

“Since Yoga has been adopted by the United Nations and Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21, the facility is being extended to them,” he said.

He further said that yoga guru Ramdev baba will be invited to Nagpur Central Jail to teach yoga to inmates like he was invited to Mumbai and Pune jails.