Puttaparthi: District Collector A Shyam Prasad on Tuesday directed officials to ensure more effective implementation of the ‘Aid to Poor Prisoners’ scheme so that economically disadvantaged inmates do not remain in jail due to financial constraints.

He was addressing a district-level Empowered Committee meeting held at the Mini Conference Hall of the Collectorate, chaired by him along with Superintendent of Police S. Satish Kumar. The meeting was conducted under the supervision of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Secretary N. Rajasekhar.

During the meeting, Rajasekhar explained that based on DLSA recommendations, the Empowered Committee should issue orders for the release of surety funds within five days from the date of receipt of the report. All eligible cases, identified as per guidelines, would be placed before the committee. He said the committee should meet on the first and third Mondays of every month, or the next working day if it is a holiday.

If financial assistance is recommended under the scheme, the committee can sanction up to Rs 50,000 per prisoner, which must be deposited in court through a fixed deposit or other suitable mode within five days. The decision should be simultaneously communicated via email to the DLSA and prison authorities. In case of delays, jail officials must report the matter to the DLSA on the sixth day.

The Collector instructed that prisoners’ financial status be verified within seven days with the support of jail visiting advocates, para-legal volunteers, and probation officers. He noted that fines up to Rs 25,000 could be sanctioned by the Empowered Committee, while higher amounts would require approval from the Monitoring Committee.

Officials from sub-jails, DRDA, DLSA staff, and other departments attended the meeting.