Centre to spend Rs 1800 cr on 199 new jails across India

New Delhi: The Centre is contemplating a mega plan to set up 199 new jails across the country to counter rising criminal activities and radicalization of inmates due to overcrowding in jails. To set up the new jails, the government is planning to invest Rs 1800 crore.
The government is of the view that the main reason behind growing criminal activities inside the jails is overcrowding. To combat this, the government has no other option but to build new jails.
Meanwhile, the government has also planned to convert the prisons into centres of reformation and to ensure safety and security of the prisoners, says Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy.
The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) organised a two-day national conference on ‘Criminal Activities and Radicalization’ in Jails on September 12 and 13. The conference was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G. Kishan Reddy.
The Conference was also attended by V. S. K. Kaumudi, Director General, BPR&D and other senior officers including Tihar Jail DG Sandeep Goel. Kaumudi laid bare the realities about Indian prisons and spoke how the lack of staff is affecting the administration of prisons.
One of the officers present at the conference, on condition of anonymity, told IANS, “Kaumudi showed the reality of the Indian prisons to the gathering and gave a well-researched speech. Even I could not have gathered courage to speak like this.”