Yerawada Central Jail tops revenue earnings in the state: Report

Maharashtra currently has sixty jails under its jurisdiction and jails manage to earn revenue by selling products made by inmates

The Yerawada prison department has topped the revenue earnings in the state for 2018-2019 fiscal year with an aggregate earning of Rs 5.81 crore, according to the annual report released by the state prisons department, Maharashtra Prisons Statistics.

PThe Yerawada prison has earned Rs 5.81 crore, according to the annual report released by the state prisons department, Maharashtra Prisons Statistics. (HT FILE)

The report published by the office of additional director general of police (prisons department and corrections service), Central Building in Pune, also highlights that the State Prisons Department has registered an income of Rs 27 crore for 2018-2019.

Yerawada Jail is followed by Nashik jail in the list, which has posted an aggregate earning of Rs 5.43 crore while Nagpur jail came in third with Rs 4.06 crore as earnings. Kolhapur jail claimed the fourth position in the state with Rs 3.12 crore earnings.

Maharashtra currently has sixty jails under its jurisdiction and jails manage to earn revenue by selling products made by inmates and providing services like bakery items, furniture, beddings, dry-cleaning and ironing centre, car and bike washing centre.

According to the report, the state prisons department has posted a net profit of Rs 2.60 crore for the last fiscal. The recently released report gives details like the total number of prison inmates, among others. The total number of prison inmates is 36,366 and of them, 9,008 are convicts. Of them, 5,964 prisoners were given employment while 1,052 were provided with agriculture-based work. The prisoners were allotted work in the categories of handloom, technician, woodwork, tailoring, cobbler, bakery and ironsmith.

The report said that skilled inmates are paid as per their professionalism and skill sets. A skilled prisoner is paid Rs 61 as daily wages, a medium skilled person gets Rs 55 while a novice is paid Rs 44 per day.

The Maharashtra state prisons department carries out agricultural cultivation over 327 hectares in possession with 29 jails. The department has earned Rs 4.09 crore as revenue and earned a profit of Rs 1.65 crore after expenditure. Paithan jail stood first in the state with Rs 75 lakh earnings followed by Visapur at second and Yerawada at third positions in agro produce.

Prisons department director general Surendra Pandey in his preface stated, “In 2018-2019, agricultural earnings have stood at Rs 4.09 crore while industries’ earnings at Rs 23.09 crore. If the inmates are able to hone their skills, then, they can get gainful employment in the private sector after their release from prison.”

Revenue earnings of jails for 2018-2019

Yerawada Central Jail- Rs 5.81 crore

Nashik jail- Rs 5.43 crore

Nagpur jail- Rs 4.06 crore

Kolhapur- Rs 3.12 crore

Prisons department observations in the report

- Yerawada Central Jail earnings were higher from technical and cobbler department

- Prisoner Intelligence Unit established to find out malpractices in the jail and also to address prisoner grievances

- Video calling facility started

- Telemedicine facility initiated

- Computerisation of entire department

- CCTV surveillance established at all prisons in the state