‘Concerted efforts needed to bring prisoners to mainstream’

Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 23  

Parliamentary Secretary for Jails, Science & Technology, Hukavi Zhimomi, today said bringing prisoners lodged in various jails back into the mainstream poses a big challenge to the Prisons department and NGOs concerned.  

The Parliamentary Secretary underscored the need for concerted efforts on rehabilitation and transformative measures so that prisoners can start a new and better life once they have done their probation.  

Hukavi was speaking at the ‘Certification ceremony on prison reforms in cooking and culinary art’ for inmates of various jails in the state, prison wardens, Home Guard and Nagaland Police personnel held here at Central Jail.  

He said despite fund constraints the Prisons Department led by Director General, Prisons, Rupin Sharma, had done a commendable job in successfully conducting the 3-month training programme along with Pinnacle Skills, a skill development company.  

Hukavi said such trainings would not only help prisoners to imbibe work culture but also open avenues for gainful employment once they are released from jail.  

The Parliamentary Secretary further urged the inmates and other trainees to make best use of the training and also impart what they have learned to other inmates and people.  

DG Prisons, Rupin Sharma, said the basic objective of the prisons reform programme was to impart skills to the inmates so that they can work independently and earn their own livelihood once they come out from jail.  

Sharma said the department was planning to set up a restaurant or food cart just outside Central Jail and to sell food and other eatables prepared by inmates and jail staffers and to open bank accounts for all inmates so that the proceeds of the sale can be deposited in the respective accounts of the inmates.  

He also informed that the department would soon be conducting cutting and tailoring training programmes for prisoners so that the inmates can stitch uniforms and dresses of Nagaland Police once they complete the training.  

Secretary, Prisons, C Kikon, said the training programmes are part of the MHA directives on prison reformation and welfare schemes. He urged all Prisons officials and staffs to lend support to such reform programmes.  

CEO, Pinnacle Skills, Dr. Yan Murry, said altogether 50 trainees including 18 inmates, 24 jail wardens, 3 Home Guards and 5 Nagaland Police personnel enrolled for the cooking and culinary training. Dr. Murry also expressed gratitude to Tata Trust for supporting the 3-month training programme. Later, the dignitaries and invitees were treated to lunch prepared by the trainees.