Number of prisoners in Telangana down by 30,000

 Telangana state has set a record of sorts by significantly bringing down the number of prisoners in its jails. According to the annual statistics released by the Prisons Department, the number of prisoners, both the convicts and under-trials, has come down by 30,000 since the formation of Telangana state.

Director General (Prisoners) Vinoy Kumar Singh told a news conference in Hyderabad that there were only 62,608 prisoners in the state now, down from 99,000 in 2014 and 79,409 last year.

Giving the reasons for the decreasing numbers, VK Singh gave the credit to better policing. “The credit goes to the police department for prevention of crime and also prisons department for effective reforms,” he said.

As part of the reforms process, the prisons department was also focusing its attention on enhancing the skills of the prisoners and employment opportunities inside the jail.

As part of these plans the prison department will open 100 more petrol pumps at 50 different places across the state.

In yet another indication of the improvement in the performance of the industries manned by the prisoners in jails, the annual turnover of the units as well as the petrol pumps manned by the prisoners has now gone up to Rs296.18 crore, from an abysmal Rs3 crore two years ago. “There has been 100% increase in just three years”, he added.

To eradicate corruption, the prison department has opened a toll free number on which the ex-prisoners and common people can lodge complaints of any malpractices by the jail staff. “No corruption will be tolerated and action will be taken against those who show favour to any prisoner,” Singh said.

source: GULF NEWS