IMPHAL, Jul 2 (DIPR): Jail inmates are enjoying welfare programme like vocational training, special literacy programme, free legal aid clinic, yoga through Art of Living, spiritual counselling of inmates, programme on HIV/ AIDS and games and sports inside the prison.
Vocational training has been organized for female prisoners in making of incense sticks, doll, dish washing liquid, detergent making, spinning of silk thread from muga cocoon and embroidery by hand. The training is under the supervision of one female craft instructor of the Jail Department so that they can earn their livelihood after their release from the Jail.
The female inmates are also imparted tailoring and embroidery training by rotation under the supervision of well experience instructor sponsored by the Social Welfare Department, Manipur. On the release of an inmate who has completed this course, the Social Welfare Department provides one machine to the trainee free of cost.
The art of making plastic bags by plastic threads and Morah is imparted to the male inmates lodged in Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa with a view to take care of their livelihood after they are released from Jail and to enable them to join the mainstream as a good citizen.
The Jail Department, Manipur has taken up various innovative activities for the welfare of prisoners. Special literacy classes are being run for the women inmates at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal by the Jail Department to make them learn, read and write in Manipuri and English. Further, Skill Development programme for women inmates is organized by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Imphal Regional Centre wef October 10 to 22, 2011 at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal. An IGNOU Special Study Centre has been started at Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa. 12 (twelve) inmates of Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa appeared the Bachelors Preparatory Programme (BPP) examination held on Dec 9, 2015. Now, 27 inmates have been admitted for the above course.
Free legal aid is provided to the inmates of both Central Jails. Two legal aid clinic cells- one at Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa on Jan 24, 2014 and another at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal on Oct 12, 2015- has been opened for providing free legal aid to the prisoners. Panel of lawyers nominated by the Member Secretary, Manipur State Legal Services Authority visited the Jails regularly to provide free legal aid to the prisoners. The legal aid clinic at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal was opened and inaugurated by Justice N Kotiswar Singh, Judge of Manipur High Court on Oct 12, 2015 to enable the prisoners lodged in Jail to avail the benefit of legal counselling on various cases. Three mobile court sittings were held on Dec 20, 2014 by CJM, Senapati, Dec 20, 2014 by JMIC, Kangpokpi and on Dec 27, 2014 by JMIC Bishnupur inside the Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa. But no prisoners were recommended for release.
Yoga programme under the Art of Living Society, Manipur Chapter conducted regularly at Manipur Central Jail, Imphal and Central Jail, Sajiwa.
Manipur Central Jail, Imphal and Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa administrations have motivated and mobilized NGOs, Prayer groups and other like-minded spiritual leaders to conduct spiritual counselling for jail inmates particularly religion based “healing techniques”, for “mind-soul-body” to wean away the hardened mindset of the prisoners from anti-national and criminal tendencies, etc.
HIV/AIDS testing facilities for the inmates lodged in Manipur Central Jail, Imphal and Central Jail, Sajiwa has been provided through Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS), JNIMS and SASO from time to time as per guide lines issued by World Health Organisation (WHO). Awareness and treatment programme on HIV/AIDS are also organized.
Recreational facilities have been provided such as carrom, ludo, chess, volley ball, badminton. In addition, library facilities with local and national newspapers are made available. The annual sports meet 2014 for the prisoners was held at Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa from Dec 1, 2014 to Dec 20, 2014 in which 161 inmates had participated in five disciplines namely volley ball, sepak takraw, badminton, carrom and chess. Contact sports like kabaddi, football etc are discouraged for obvious reasons.
