De-addiction centres at jails to help drugs-affected inmates

Rajamahendravaram: Home minister Vangalapudi Anitha announced plans to set up de-addiction centres in central jails across the state to help reform the prisoners convicted of ganja-related offenses. The announcement was made here during the inauguration of a prison cafe and box cricket facility opposite the central jail on Monday.

Speaking to the media on the occasion, she said the state has 16 sub-jails, two central jails, one special jail and a Borstal home under construction. The state’s jails currently house 3,483 prisoners, exceeding their capacity by 700 inmates. Rajahmundry central jail, for example, has a capacity of 1,200 but currently holds 1,250 prisoners.

Anitha emphasised that the state government’s focus is on addressing ganja-related cases as part of a broader effort to eradicate illegal drug. She noted that there are 1,700 individuals imprisoned for ganja offenses across the state, with about 1,000 in Visakhapatnam jail and 376 in Rajahmundry central jail. To support these prisoners, the minister announced that psychiatrists will be appointed to provide counselling and help rehabilitate them.

The home minister stressed the government’s commitment to reforming prisoners. Initiatives like fuel outlets, training in various crafts and prison cafes are being implemented to help prevent released prisoners from reverting to criminal behaviour.

She inaugurated a new petrol station set up by the AP prisons department on the premises of Innispeta sub-jail in Rajahmundry and later visited the central jail and women’s jail to inspect the facilities.

During her visit, Anitha became emotional upon seeing the Sneha Block in central jail, where the present Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was lodged for 53 days before the elections. She commented on the changing times and she was visiting this jail as a VIP where their leader was once unjustly imprisoned, calling it the “beauty of democracy.”

The home minister says that there are no Disha police stations in the state. “Without the Disha Act, what is needed of these stations?” she said, stating that these stations will now be referred as Mahila police stations.

She assured that the friendly policing system would be restored. Responding to a question, she questioned the credibility of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy speaking on law and order, reminding that the government is providing security at the level of a former chief minister to the present Pulivendula MLA Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Anitha also addressed the concerns of jail staff, stating that they will soon receive health security and earned leave (EL) benefits similar to those of the civil police. She criticised the previous government’s neglect of amnesty issues, revealing that a prisoner had handed her a letter stating he had been in jail for 23 years.

She announced that prisoners will be released on amnesty on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, and added that the parole rules, which were altered by the previous government, will be reviewed.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including MLAs Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, Adireddy Srinivas, jails IG Viswajith, DIG of prisons M R Ravi Kiran, central jail superintendent Rahul and former MLA Boorugpalli Sesha Rao.