Maharashtra jail industry explores private partnership for revival

The jail industry in the state, which is the largest in the country and was the pride of state government in the 1990s, has been on the wane for the last many years.

Manufacturing some 70 products in 11 central prisons across the state, the jail industries recorded a turnover of Rs35 crore and profit of over Rs9.44 crore in 1995. But the same industry has nosedived to such an extent that it has not been able to fetch decent profits for the last many years.

According to deputy inspector general of prisons (DIG) Swati Sathe, the causes for dismal performance of jail industry is poor marketing, even within the government network itself.

In order to revive this industry, Sathe is now contemplating to introduce a private public partnership project and giving a touch of professionalism to the inmates.

Under this arrangement, private enterprises will be encouraged to use the manpower and infrastructure in the jails, train the inmates and pay better rates for the goods.

The jail industry is situated in 11 districts which includes Pune open jail, Nagpur, Nashik, Thane, Kolhapur, Solapur, Amravati, Dhule, Satara and Sangli. In 2008-09, the jail industry had achieved a turnover of Rs12.80 crore which dropped to Rs8.52 crore in the following year. In the current year, the turnover touched Rs9.15 crore till August 2011.

According to the rules, it is mandatory for the convicts to work in the industry. In Maharashtra, 1,172 men and 100 women are convicted and in Pune, 482 men and 50 women are working in the jails.

The jail inmates work from 8 am till 4 pm including a 30-minute lunch break. They are paid daily wages. Skilled labourers are paid Rs40, semi-skilled Rs35 and unskilled are paid Rs25. A part of the money is handed over to the prisoner on a monthly basis so that he can purchase essentials like toothpaste from the jail canteen and half the amount he earns is kept in the custody of the government and disbursed to him at the time of his release.

The prisoner is also given a tool kit, money that they have earned and an aid of Rs5,000 at the time of his release so that he can set up his own business if he desires so.

According to officials, the state government is keen on returning the prison industry to its lost glory. Hence, it has been mandatory for all government departments to purchase 70 products that are manufactured by the prisoners.

“But they do not prefer to purchase the goods from us as they only get what has been demanded. If they buy from other sources, they get gifts along with the material. Even NGOs approach us and get products from us for minimum amount and later sell them at higher price,’’ Sathe said.

Sathe said, "My focus is on getting the inmates trained professionally instead of making them work to break stones which makes them think in the same way. To change this psychology, we make them work on looms and teach them to stitch so that they think that their life is full of colour and can generate creativity."