13 inmates of Thane jail sell cakes worth ₹4.91 Lakh in a week

Arthur Road Jail bagged the biggest order this year too. They had an order of 8,500 cupcakes and 525 kg of sponge cake worth ₹1.45 lakh

With the help of a nutritionist, 13 inmates from Thane Central Prison helped the jail earn ₹4.91 lakh from the sale of 1,814 kg of cakes baked by them in the premises.

The demand for Christmas cakes, primarily from other prisons, is increasing year after year. (HT File)

The demand for Christmas cakes, primarily from other prisons, is increasing year after year. In 2017, they had sold 1,606.5 kg of cakes worth ₹4.77 lakh.

Arthur Road Jail bagged the biggest order this year too. They had an order of 8,500 cupcakes and 525 kg of sponge cake worth ₹1.45 lakh. Compared to last year, where 7,250 piece of cupcakes and 425 kg of sponge cake order was placed.

NB Vayachal, superintendent of police, Thane Central Jail, confirmed about the rising demand of baked cakes in the prison. He said that the 13 prisoners work under Nisha Naik, the bakery instructor, who checks the quality of the products and see that the target is completed on time.

Vayachal said that on normal days, the jail authorities earn ₹2.50 lakh to ₹3 lakh monthly. But the earning gets doubled just during Christmas Eve. “Thane Central Jail is the only jail that has a bakery. Breads and bakery products including cookies are prepared here on a daily basis.”

Apart from jails, the bakery products are also sent to Thane mental hospital, mantralaya and other government offices. With the help of bakery, we rehabilitate the inmates. It is also profitable to the government,” added Vayachal.

Naik said that the cakes are sold at low price than the market. The cup cakes are costing ₹7 per pieces and sponge cake ₹150 per kg and pineapple cake ₹380 per kg. The skilled inmates are paid ₹61 per day, while unskilled are paid ₹55 and the training are paid ₹44 per day.

Harshad Ahirrao, superintendent of police, Arthur Road Jail, confirmed about the highest order and said, “We have asked for more 3,000 cup cakes, as the order we were deliver is already finished. The cupcakes will now be delivering on December 27.

We have around 150 foreigner’s from 14 different countries including Nigerian, but this season not only foreigner who celebrate the Christmas, but each and every prisoner inmate buy the cakes from canteen celebrating the festival. We have around 3,000 inmates and each of them even buy two pieces of cupcakes it count to 6,000 pieces. We have assumed as its winter season, the inmates are hungry and keep eating the cake,” said Ahirrao.