Mumbai, February 20: The state government has given approval for formation of six members District-level Infrastructure Assessment Committees for Prisons. The Committee would assess the available infrastructure in prisons, assess the current capacity of the existing prisons and come up with firm proposals and assess the requirement of use of Artificial Intelligence for Prisons.
The Supreme Court of India directed in Writ Petition (Civil) vide order dated 30.01.2024, that district-level committees should be constituted to assess the infrastructure requirement of prisons. Those in the committees would include Principal/District Judge (Chairperson, the District Legal Services Authority), District Magistrates, Commissioners of Police or his representative, Superintendents of Police, Superintendents of Prison and Secretary, the District Legal Services Authority.
Functions Of Committee:
"The work of the Committees would be to assess the available infrastructure in prisons and recommend to the State Government regarding the number of additional prisons to be constructed in the District, to assess the current capacity of the existing prisons and
requirement to construct more prisons or enhance the capacity of existing prisons to meet the standards laid down in the Model Prison Manual, to examine the requirement of acquiring land to set up new prisons depending on the current capacity, occupancy and future demands of the District and come up with firm proposals," said a government official.
"The Committees will keep itself updated regarding the status of all the ongoing projects/ proposals that are pending in the District and ensure that milestones are set down for completing the ongoing projects. Wherever a project is yet to take off for want of land, steps will be taken to identify the land to be acquired and the report will be tabled before the Chief Secretary for obtaining necessary approvals and fast tracking the process," the official said.
To assess the requirement of use of Artificial Intelligence and introducing video conferencing for conducting e-mulakaats, appearance before court and tele-medicine facilities for the ease of inmates," the official added.
