In a step aimed at providing fool proof security system in the jails, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal has approved Rs 20 crore for the modernization and the upgradation of the jails across the state.A decision to this effect was taken by the Chief Minister in a high level meeting of the Jail department held at his residence on Wednesday late evening.
Taking part in deliberations, the Chief Minister laid thrust on modernization of Jails on scientific lines by providing intact security system in them. Approving a comprehensive plan submitted by the Jail department to upgrade the entire security system in the jails, Mr. Badal sanctioned Rs 20 crore for installing the high powered Jammers, door metal detectors and other equipments besides vehicles for the department to update the security system in the jails. He asked the Jail department to execute the whole work in a phased manner so as to bring more efficiency in the work.
Underlining the need to strictly check the supply of drugs in the jails, the Chief Minister also directed the Department to take every step to curb this illegal practice, which was posing a serious threat to the life of the inmates. Mr. Badal also gave nod for recruiting 573 trained ex-servicemen from the Punjab Ex-servicemen Corporation (PESCO) for deployment in jails to aid the Police in keeping strict vigil over the visitors. He said that security of the Jails was the prime concern of the state government and no compromise could be made in this regard.
Expressing deep concern over the rising incidents of indiscipline amongst the jail inmates, the Chief Minister further asked the department to discourage this trend by taking the appropriate remedial measures. He said that the accountability of the concerned officers of the department must be fixed in such cases. Mr. Badal said that negligence of the government officers in such cases would not be tolerated at any cost.
Dwelling on another issue, the Chief Minister asked the Principal Secretary Home Mr. DS Bains to explore all the possibilities of making the process for the release of prisoners, who have completed their term of conviction, much simpler there by curtailing the cumbersome procedure of unwarranted hierarchical clearances. Mr. Badal suggested that ‘single file’ system should be introduced to expedite the clearances in such cases rather than sending the file from one office to another.
Prominent amongst those present in the meeting included Cabinet Minister, Mr. Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Balbir Singh Ghunas, Principal Secretary (Home) Mr DS Bains, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Secretary (Home) Mrs. Raji P Srivastava, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, ADGP (Prisons) Mr. RP Meena and IG (Prisons) Mr. Jagjit Singh.