Rajasthan News: State's New Prison Bill Aims To Provide Dignity, Livelihood For Convicts

Jaipur: The prisoners in Rajasthan jails now have a right to human dignity and meaningful and gainful earning in the prison industry according to their sentence. These rights have been provided in the Rajasthan Prisons Bill passed by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly with a voice vote on Tuesday.

The minister for Prisons Tikaram Juli said the government is trying to strengthen the infrastructure facilities in the prisons as they are no longer mere detention houses for the offenders but a place to reform inmates for their future lives. "The prisoners in our jails are making LED bulbs for paintings and sculptures. The petrol pumps are being run by the prisoners at Jaipur, Alwar and Kota and we are planning to open 15 such pumps across the state," said the minister replying to the debate on the bill.

New Prisons Bill to replace old Prison's Act of 1894

The bill will replace the more than a century-old Prisons Act, of 1894 (Central Act No. 9 of 1894) and the Rajasthan Prisoners Act, of 1960 (Act No. 39 of 1960).

"Though the foundation of the contemporary prison administration in India was laid during the British period, the system has drastically changed over the years. Apart from the principles embodied in the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution of India, new ideas and correctional practices in various countries have considerably influenced the texture of prison reforms in the country," said the statement of objects and reasons of the new bill.

Apart from consolidating the law relating to prisons and prisoners under a single umbrella, the bill provides for reformatory provisions, entitlement of basic human rights to prisoners, the constitution of the Board of Skill Development Programmes and Vocational Training for Prisoners and the appointment of a State Advisory Board for prisons for advising the State Government on matters relating to the management of prisons.

Prisoner's right to dignity

The bill provides the rights of the prisoners regarding human dignity, healthcare, basic minimum needs, communication, access to law and release on the due date. At the same time, it provides for the duties of the prisoners also. The bill has the provision of open camps and temporary work camps also where the inmates having prescribed eligibility would be transferred to serve their sentence in a more reformative and rehabilitative atmosphere.