Punjab Cabinet Minister for Jails and Cooperation Departments Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa today announced that sale outlets of Markfed and other cooperative departments would be opened in all Jails of the state. He said that the main aim of this initiative is to broaden the reach of products of Punjab Cooperation department and providing good quality products to the jail inmates/undertrials. He said this after inaugurating the sale outlets of Markfed and Verka, along with a waiting hall, at Central Jail, here today.During an informal interaction with media persons on the occasion, Mr Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that the Punjab Jails Department and Punjab Cooperation Department are working in tandem to make this project successful. He said that soon, sale outlets of Markfed, Verka, Milkfed etc would be opened in all Jails of the state.He informed that the Jails department is constructing waiting halls in all jails of the state as it was observed that whenever family members of inmates/undertrials came to meet them, they had to face problems. He said that once waiting halls in all jails are constructed, this problem would be resolved permanently.Mr Randhawa informed that efforts are being made to promote organic farming in Nabha Jail, and a Rehabilitation Centre would be opened in Central Jail Ludhiana.
While replying to a query of media persons, the Cabinet Minister informed that soon, 550 vacant posts in the Jails department would be filled in next 6 months time as the process in this regard has already been initiated. He said that its sad that the Union government is ignoring the genuine demands of the Jails Department in all states, neither has any meeting been called by the union government.During the function, Mr Randhawa announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh from his discretionary fund for purchase of an automatic Roti making machine and Rs 3 lakh for factory being run from the jail premises. He also visited the factory and inspected other facilities inside the jail premises.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Ludhiana MP Mr Ravneet Singh Bittu, MLA Mr Sanjay Talwar, ADGP Mr Rohit Chaudhary, former MP Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Ashwani Kapoor, Jail Superintendent Mr SS Boparai, Mr Rachhpal Singh Talwara, Mr Deepal Uppal, Mr Vineet Bhatia, Mr Umesh Sharma, besides several others.