“The present structure of the jails in Punjab is all set to witness gradual transformation in keeping fully with the demands of the modern times. The revival of jail industry occupies utmost priority in the scheme of things of the State Government.”These views were expressed here today in a press communiqué by the Cooperation and Jails Minister S. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa after presiding over a high level meeting at the Punjab Civil Secretariat.Elaborating more, the minister said that the focus is being laid on making the convicted inmates skilled in various vocations such as Furniture Making, Bakery, Tailoring, Soap Making, Handicrafts and Cloth Weaving so as to ensure that when they go out after completion of their jail term, they have a technical skill in their hands which would help them get assimilated into the mainstream of the society and keep them away from crime.
Divulging more, the minister said that the security across all the jails in Punjab would be under constant supervision and no laxity on this count would be tolerated. He also said that he would visit Ropar Jail in this regard soon. The other significant issue which came up for discussion, centred around the construction of a District Jail at Goindwal Sahib.S. Randhawa also disclosed that the Prison Manual Model Draft also came up for thoroughbred discussion focusing on reforming the prison manual in order to bring it in sync with the changing trends. The minister further added that another important issue which came up for a very minute discussion was the setting up of a Prison Development Board based on the pattern of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for the overall development of the department by implementing the best practices followed in the above mentioned states.Among other dignitaries present in the meeting included the Additional Chief Secretary (Home Affairs and Justice) Mr. Satish Chandra, IG (Prisons) Mr. R.K. Arora, IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, DIG (Prisons) Mr. Lakhminder Singh Jakhar, and Secretary PWD (B & R) Mr. Hussan Lal.