Maharashtra proposes bill to make vocational training compulsory for convicted prisoners

Mumbai: In a bid to bring the convicted prisoners into the mainstream of the society, Maharashtra home department is planning to impart vocational training and skills to the prisoners as a part of the correctional programme. In addition to this, the prison authorities will use tracking devices for prisoners, who are on temporary release. The government will also set up welfare funds for prisoners. The state government is likely to table Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services (MPCS) Bill, 2024 in the ongoing monsoon session.

A senior official said that the state cabinet has given its approval to the MPCS bill, which has been sent to the Raj Bhavan for the Governor’s approval. If the bill is approved by the governor, it would be tabled before the state legislature this week.

Maharashtra has around 40,000 prisoners in nine central jails, 31 district jails, 13 open jails and 172 sub-jails across the state. Of these, around eight thousand prisoners are convicted inmates for rigorous and simple imprisonments, while the rest are undertrials.

The senior official said that the purpose behind imparting the training to the convicted prisoners is to provide them a second chance to return to the society and live a normal life. “The prisoners, who complete their sentences, do not have any skills that could help them to get employment after they are released from the prison. Therefore, we have decided to provide skills training to them. It will be compulsory for the convicted prisoners,” the senior official said.

The government would also constitute Welfare Funds for the prisoners. “Initially, the government will make a budgetary provision for the Welfare Funds for the Prison in the budget. Subsequently, we will seek funds from the Corporate Houses under CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility),” the officials said.

Once the convicted is released from the jail after completing his/her jail sentence, the prison authorities will do a follow up with him/her to monitor what they are doing for livelihood.

There have been several cases of prisoners, who are released on furlough or parole, do not surrender to the prison authorities on completion of furlough or parole period. In order to overcome the problem, the jail authorities will now be using electronic monitoring. “We will use electronic monitoring and tracking technology to track the prisoners, who are released temporarily,” the officials said.

A separate rule in this regard will be issued once the bill is passed by both the houses of the state legislature. The officials said that the Bill also has a provision for a compulsory separate barracks for transgender prisoners.