50 Bhondsi jail inmates get chance to spin better future

Inmates of Bhondsi jail will soon start making their own Khadi fabric. Under a rehabilitation activity started by the jail administration, a small unit to spin Khadi thread opened at the jail on Saturday with 50 spinning wheels (charkha) provided by the Khadi and Gramodyog Commission. The spinning centre was inaugurated by Justice Madan B Lokur of the Supreme Court of India.

Officials said the inmates will be able to manufacture more than 70,000m of cloth in a year for which they will be paid ₹100 per day. Skill training was provided to 50 inmates by the commission after they showed interest in learning the craft. Jail officials said each inmate went through a 30-day skill training.

The inmates here will also weave cloth for 19,000 inmates across 19 jails in Haryana.

“The inmates should utilise the facility till they are here and explore their talent. Once released, they should give back to the society and make the country proud,” said Justice Lokur.

He said that the training centre will go a long way in instilling confidence in the inmates and once they are released, they will find their training useful in providing a sustainable livelihood.

“The woven cloth will be used in making uniforms for prisoners in various jails. The two sets of kurta pajama and bedsheet, which is provided to each inmate, will be stitched here,” said Yashpal Singhal, DGP Prisons.

Khadi Board chairman Vinay Kumar Saxena said, “We are ready to help the inmates, if after their release, they want to continue spinning. This initiative which will bring a positive change in their lives as it needs focus.”

The woven cloth will be used in making uniforms for prisoners. The two sets of kurta pajama and bedsheet, which is provided to each inmate, will be stitched here. YASHPAL SINGHAL, DGP, prisons