From ‘Jails to jobs’: Shimla plays host to meet on prisoners’ reforms

SHIMLA: Till now, most conferences and national seminars hosted in the states or national capitals used to deliberate critical issues, mainly involving citizens and communities, happen to be an active part of the society in towns and villages.

On Wednesday, as Shimla settled down to a two-day national-level conference, including top-ranking police officers, both retired and serving from 20 Indian states, apart from researchers, academicians and social action groups, there was a significant shift in the focus of its agenda.

“From jails to jobs” call it Positive Engagement of Inmates in the Prisons, provided a wider forum to the participates to think on the ways as to how best prisoners, including life-term convicts of cases like murder, rape, acid attacks and NDPS be engaged in gainful employment, within and outside jails?

Governor Bandaru Dattatraya inaugurated the conference, hosted by state government's Department of Prison and Correctional Services in collaboration with Bureau of Police Search and Development.

Himachal Pradesh, which has become a pioneering states in introducing programme like “Har Hath ko Kaam” (job for each prisoner ) has more than 150 prisoners engaged in productive jobs to make bakery products—which have highest demand in the town, branded Himachali shawls, woolen socks, jackets, gloves caps , dress wares, furniture for offices, hotels and schools and waste newspaper envelopes (replacement to banned polythene bags. Four lifetime convicts run Shimla's ionic book café, work in hotels, business establishments, saloons and teaching in coaching centres outside the prisons.