In a major step towards reformation and ensuring mental-social wellbeing of jail inmates and undertrials, Punjab Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday inaugurated 'Galwakdi', a program in which they can meet their loved ones in person for an hour, quarterly in a year at a specially designated room inside the jail complex.
The Minister also dedicated an IOC fuel station on Tajpur road outside the jail to be operated by well-behaved inmates for which special training had been provided to them.The fuel station has been opened by IOC and to be run by Punjab Prisons Development Board.
Only 'good conduct' inmates and remand prisoners and those following the required criteria of the jail manual, will avail the facility.The family members can also enjoy meals with the inmates and undertrials.
The inmates and prisoners involved in high-risk category including gangsters and other serious offences will not be able to avail this facility.Bains, later addressing the gathering, said that the Punjab government had been making the jails as real 'Sudhar Ghars' from where inmates could be transformed and they could lead a normal life after release from jail.
He said that these 'family visits' had been started in 23 jails of state and these meetings will be exclusively for those inmates and undertrials who will be shortlisted for their good conduct in the jails.
He said that they would be given an hour with their five kins in family room equipped with furniture and other basic amenities. He said that the facility could be approached online by visiting the official website of Punjab Prisons Department by the family or inmates could also approach the jail authorities.
Bains expressed hope that this program would bring significant positive changes in the behaviour of the prisoners including increased hope and joy, positive attitude towards life, enthusiasm to work, interest in routine works, sense of belongingness, besides improving the atmosphere of jails.He said that this project would bring remarkable results for the prisoners, their family members and jail administration.
Bains said that the income generated from fuel stations would be spent on the welfare of the inmates. He appealed the city residents to get their vehicles filled with fuel from this outlet.
He said that in the coming days, the products being prepared by jails inmates such as bakery items, furniture, khadi etc will also sold out in the market. Besides, the facilities of education and other sports will also be offered to them.
The Cabinet Minister said that to find out reason behind drug addiction amongst inmates and undertrials, a survey was underway in all 23 jails of the state. Now 300 students of Punjab University, Punjabi University, ISB Mohali and others experts to find out reasons which forced them to take up addiction.Special DGP Jails Harpreet Singh Sidhu said that all women inmates and prisoners will get the same facility to meet the family every month.
Prominent among present on the occasion included MLAs Hardeep Singh Grewal and Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina, Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik, Commissioner of Police Dr Kaustubh Sharma, IG Jails Roop Kumar Arora, DIG Jails Surinder Kumar, ADC Anita Darshi, Jails Superintendent Shivraj Singh Nandgarh, State head IOC Jitendra Kumar, CGM Piyush Mittal, Manjeet Walia and others..