MADHYA PRADESH: For years, Narmadapuram Central Jail in central Madhya Pradesh, like most prisons in the state, spent heavily on sourcing snacks in bulk from outside vendors for its canteen. The supplies ran into quintals, and the costs steadily mounted.
Today, the same canteen shelves are stocked with snacks prepared inside the prison walls by women inmates — many of them convicted or under trial in murder cases, including the killing of their husbands.
The change began on September 27, 2024, under the guidance of District Collector Sonia Meena. That day, the jail became the first in the state to launch a women’s self-help group (SHG) formed entirely by inmates facing serious criminal charges.
The ten-member SHG, named ‘Anjani’, was registered under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). By October-November 2024, the group had begun producing a range of snacks for the jail canteen, which is managed by a cooperative.
In less than 15 months, Anjani has built a bank balance of nearly `5 lakh—earnings representing profit and savings from its operations.
The transformation is complete. Members today operate their own bank account, sign cheques and disburse wages to fellow inmates who help in snack preparation.
One under-trial member, arrested along with her husband in a murder case, remains behind bars while he is out on bail. Through Anjani’s earnings, she has been able to send `21,000 to her son to help him operate a four-wheeler.
Skill-building has been central to the initiative. Trainers from the district’s Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI), run by the lead bank, conduct regular workshops in stitching, food processing and financial management.
“They’ve already been trained in stitching and sewing apparel, snack-making, as well as professionally handling the financial aspects of their SHG,” said assistant jail superintendent Hitesh Bandiya.
He added that with Collector Meena’s support, efforts are underway to link Anjani with the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME).
Four founding members have since been released and are exploring opportunities to join or start SHGs outside prison. Nine months after Anjani’s launch, a similar effort began nearly 450 km away at Barwani Central Jail in tribal-dominated Nimar region.
Registered in June 2025, the women’s SHG there is called ‘Mukti’—symbolising self-reliance. It is guided by Superintendent Shephali Tiwari, known for introducing reformative initiatives in previous postings. Like Anjani, Mukti began by supplying the prison canteen.
From prison kitchens to small-scale enterprises, these SHGs are reshaping lives once defined solely by crime.