Women prisoners can look forward to better facilities as the state is geared up to construct an exclusive prison for them in Tumkur.
“The prison department will also set up juvenile homes and educate and train young prisoners,” said A Narayanaswamy, minister for social welfare and prison, at the All India Conference of Directors General/ Inspector General of Prisons, on Saturday.
There are over 500 women prisoners in the state and they will be shifted to the new women’s prison in Tumkur. The funds for the same have already been sanctioned, he said.
Bangalore, Belgaum, Mysore and Gulbarga will also be upgraded, he said, adding that Shimoga jail will be expanded to hold 1,000 prisoners. Principal secretary of home department SM Jaamdar said that the exclusive women’s jail is one of the most ambitious plans of the state government.
He added that terrorists imprisoned in various jails are a threat to everybody. All modes of communication will be blocked for the terrorists. Modernisation of prisons is also on the government’s priority list, he said.
Bidari absent
Shankar M Bidari, DG&IGP of Karnataka, did not attend the conference on Saturday. Sources said Bidari was supposed to attend three or four meetings, but he cancelled them all.
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Bangalore bench, on Friday quashed the appointment of Shankar M Bidari as director general of police (head of police force) of Karnataka. It has directed for appointing AR Infant to the post on ad hoc basis till UPSC considers a list for regular appointment as his name is the only one that remains in the empanelled list.
