Prison inc gets a new address: Industry park

In keeping with the entrepreneurial tradition of the state, Sabarmati Central Jail's inmate welfare organisation is all set to grow bigger and better. The jail will soon be shifting its manufacturing processes to a brand new address. The state government has given its nod to setting up of a three storied Industry Park on the jail premises. This translates into a boost of 15-20 per cent in the jail's earnings; at present, weaving, tailoring, carpentry, chemicals, batteries, bakery, printing press and laundry departments contribute to the average annual turnover of Rs 9 crore.
Gujarat's prisons are considered to be among the best in the country, be it for reformation programmes or vocational skill development modules.The new Industry Park will be a shot in the arm for the prisoners, helping them build their self-confidence and gain valuable experience to be put to good use after their release. Additional DGP (Prisons) T S Bisht told Mirror, "Jail inmates undertake various types of creative work. They get orders from different industries. However, at present, different processes are being carried out in different parts of Sabarmati Central Jail, causing a lot of inconvenience."
For example, in case of tailoring clothes, cutting is handled in one part of the prison and stitching in another, causing considerable waste of time. Besides, a jawan has to follow the inmates wherever they go, inconveniencing them as well as the cops, said Bisht. "We have decided to address this issue by bringing all the prison activities under one roof. We are going to build a three-storied building in a space inside Sabarmati Central Jail and it will be called the Industry Park. The government has approved the proposal and sanctioned a grant of Rs 1crore.
The construction work will be completed in a span of two years. The total cost of building will be around Rs 5 crore," he added. "The Industry Park is our dream project and it will save time and increase productivity. The sales are likely to go up by around 15 to 20 per cent after setting up this park," Bisht said. The overall turnover of jails in Gujarat in 2013-14 was Rs 10 crore, in 2014-15, around Rs 9 crore, and in 2015-16 it was Rs 9.12 crore. The jail bhajiya house alone contributes to an average of Rs 1 crore every year.
Skilled activities
A jail official said, "Inmates of Sabarmati jail are known far and wide for their skills and quality of work. The weaving department makes towels and mats while carpentry makes highend furniture. The bakery department is known for its bhajiyas, cakes and biscuits. Now, with all these activities happening under one roof there will be a lot of enthusiasm among the inmates. We expect the sales to go up significantly." The prisoners receive orders from the state government and other agencies as well. Recently, they got orders for carpentry work in Gandhinagar. Even National Institute of Design had organised training sessions for the inmates some time ago.