IMPHAL, July 2: Jail inmates are enjoying welfare programmes like vocational training, special literacy programme, free legal aid clinic, yoga through Art of Living, spiritual counseling of
inmates, programme on HIV/ AIDs and games & sports inside the prison.
Vocational training has been organized for female prisoners in making of incense sticks, doll, dish washing liquid, detergent making, spinning of silk thread from muga cocoon and embroidery by hand, official sources said.
The training would be conducted under the supervision of one female Craft Instructor of the Jail Department so that they could earn their livelihood after their release from the Jail. The female inmates would also be imparted tailoring and embroidery training on rotation under the supervision of well experience Instructor sponsored by the Social Welfare Department, Manipur. On the release of an inmate, who have completed the course, the Social Welfare Department would provide one machine to the trainee free of cost, says a release issued by DIPR.
The art of making plastic bags by plastic threads and Morah would be imparted to the male inmates lodged in Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, with a view to take care of their livelihood after they are released from Jail and to enable them to join the mainstream as a good citizen.The Jail Department, Manipur, has taken up various innovative activities for the welfare of prisoners. Special literacy classes are being run for the women inmates at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal by the Jail department to make them learn, read and write in Manipuri and English, it added.
Further, skill Development programme for women inmates was organized by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Imphal Regional Centre with effect from October 10 to 22, 2011, at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal. An IGNOU Special Study Centre has been started at Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa. Altogether, twelve inmates of Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, appeared the Bachelors Preparatory Programme (BPP) examination held on December 9, 2015. Now, 27 inmates have admitted for the above course.
Free legal aid was also provided to the inmates of both Central Jails. Two legal aid clinic cells- one at Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, on January 24, 2014, and another at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal, on October 12, 2015- have been opened for providing free legal aid to the prisoners. Panel of lawyers nominated by the Member Secretary of Manipur State Legal Services Authority visited the Jails regularly to provide free legal aid to the prisoners.
The legal aid clinic in Manipur Central Jail, Imphal, was opened and inaugurated by Justice N Kotiswar Singh, Judge of Manipur High Court, on October 12, 2015, to enable the prisoners lodged in Jail to avail the benefit of legal counselling on various cases.
Mobile court sittings were held on December 20, 2014, by CJM, Senapati, on December 20, 2014 by JMIC, Kangpokpi, and on December 20, 2014, by JMIC Bishnupur inside the Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa. But no prisoners were recommended for release.
Yoga programme under the Art of Living Society, Manipur Chapter, are also conducted regularly at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal, and Central Jail, Sajiwa. Manipur Central Jail, Imphal, and Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, administrations have motivated and mobilized NGOs, prayer groups and other like-minded spiritual leaders to conduct spiritual counselling for Jail inmates particularly religion based “healing techniques” for “mind-soul- body” to wean away the hardened mindset of the prisoners from anti-national and criminal tendencies etc.
