Maharashtra to table prison management legislation on lines of Central Act

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) Maharashtra government will table a Model Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, 2024 on the line of the Centre’s Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023 during the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature.

The state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde gave its approval at its meeting held on Monday.

The proposed bill will cover various aspects of prison management including security, safety, scientific and technological interventions, segregation of prisoners, special provision for women inmates, taking appropriate action against criminal activities of prisoners in the prison, grant of parole and furlough to prisoners, their education, vocational training and skill development.

It will also have provisions with regard to the reformation, rehabilitation and integration of prisoners into society.

A senior state government functionary said that the prison being a state subject, the Centre had asked to enact suitable legislation along the lines of the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023.

“The bill’s objective is to carry out administrative and technological reforms in prisons and also implement welfare programmes for prisoners and aftercare and rehabilitation services,” he said.

He added that the Union Home Affairs Ministry is providing necessary support and guidance to the state for efficient management of prisons in their jurisdictions.

According to the state government’s data, there are about 41,075 inmates in 60 jails against the combined capacity of 24,722 inmates in Maharashtra as of January 31, 2023.

Of the 41,075 inmates, 39,504 were men, 1,556 women, and 15 trans-genders. Of them, 7,949 were convicts, 32,917 undertrials, and 209 detainees. There were also a total of 606 foreign inmates in the jails

The jail occupancy in the state was 136.19 per cent in 2017, 148.93 per cent in 2018, 152.72 per cent in 2019, 128.70 per cent in 2020 and 148.80 in 2021.

In 2021, Maharashtra stood seventh in the country in terms of occupancy rate.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

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