Home Minister all praise for jail staff for reforming inmates

Rajahmundry: The endeavour of the officials and the staff is commendable in bringing changes in the mindset of the prisoners, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister N Chinarajappa said here on Monday. He lauded the efforts of staff of the prisons’ department who are performing multiple roles solving the problems of the inmates with regard to welfare, health and conducting counselling sessions for them.

Recalling that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu introduced retreat classes in prison’s department in 1999-2000, he opined that the staff would get opportunities to enhance their performance through retreat classes. The Home Minister inaugurated a two-day retreat for the staff of the prisons’ department of all the 13 districts in the State in Rajahmundry Central Prison on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Chinarajappa mentioned that the modernisation works have been taken up in Rajahmundry Central Prison with Rs 20 crore.

He said more funds would be released if required. He informed that good ambience would be provided by modernising British time’s prisons and necessary funds would be allocated in the budget. He suggested to the officials to provide modern technology to inmates in order to encourage them to produce quality products. Making it clear that there is no question of compromise on the issue of law and order, he said that the State would develop industrially if law and order situation is good.

Replying to a question on the arrest of TDP MLA Vamsi, he said that all are equal before law. Speaking on the occasion, DIG (Prisons), Coastal Andhra region, Chandrasekhar, said that retreat classes are being held every year for the last 15 years. He said that the government has released Rs 200 crore through which 60 percent modernisation works have been taken up in buildings in prisons and stressed the need for more help which will help in modernising 90 per cent of buildings.