- In the year 2019, the number of posts being filled in the jail department is very less as compared to the police department.
- For years, the problem of the residences of the employees of the jail department remains the same.
- Like the police department, the officers and employees in the prison department should be the salvation of the office.
- Huge land is available in all the jails. New buildings can be built in it.
- Like Pune, open prisons can also be built in other jails. Free arrangements can be made for women.
Nagpur. With time, the jailers of the British era changed but the jails are still the same. Neither the prisons have changed nor the facilities are being provided to the employees. It can be said that for many decades the government has been treating the prison department with step-motherly treatment. The Jail Department is a part of the police and comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. But the facilities which are provided to the police department are far away from the jail department.
In fact, the government does not have any plan for the welfare of the jail department. It was good that the British made such a structure which is still intact today. If prisons were not constructed keeping in mind the future, when would the situation have worsened. Prisoners still go to jail after committing crimes, but the condition of the officers and employees working in the jail department is also pathetic. The jails are neither improved nor are there adequate government accommodation for the employees working here.
Oldest Nagpur Central Jail in the State
Although there are total 9 Central Jails in Maharashtra Division, Nagpur Central Jail is the oldest among them. Nagpur Central Jail was established in 1864. After this, jails were established in Amravati and Yerwada. At present there are 31 district jails in the state. There are 19 open jails and 172 secondary jails. Keeping the security in mind, special prisons for women were constructed in Pune and Mumbai. Apart from Pune, women’s open jail was also built in Akola, but the truth is that most of the prisons in the state were built by the British.
…then why not consider other prisons?
The state’s oldest Nagpur Central Jail is located in the very central part of the city. Now the central government is preparing to build Ajni Inter Model Hub here. Luxury buildings will also stand here. This scheme has also got the approval of the Central Government. Preparations are being made to move Nagpur Central Jail out of the city for this inter-modal hub. It is being claimed that now a hi-tech jail will be prepared. When the old jail can be made hi-tech by removing it to make an inter-modal hub, then why can’t other jails of the state be built on the same lines?
37,000 prisoners and 5,000 employees
According to sources, there are about 37,000 prisoners in jails across the state. Of these, about 30 to 35 percent are convicted criminals and the rest are court prisoners. At the same time, only 5,000 officers and employees work in state jails. These also include security and office workers. There is shortage of staff in almost all the jails of the state and the number of prisoners in all is much more than the capacity. Despite this, no one is paying attention to the problem.
establishment of prisons
Nagpur Central Jail – 1864
Amravati Central Jail – 1866
Yerwada Central Jail – 1871
Arthur Road Central Jail – 1925
Nashik Road Central Jail – 1927