AHMEDABAD: Gujarat's prison infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with the rapid rise in inmate population, with official data presented in the Rajya Sabha revealing that overcrowding has steadily worsened over the past five years despite a marginal expansion in jail capacity.
The figures indicate that while prison infrastructure has grown slowly, the number of inmates has increased at a much faster pace, widening the gap between available space and actual occupancy.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Gujarat had a sanctioned prison capacity of 13,762 inmates in 2020, while the actual prison population stood at 15,217, already exceeding capacity by 1,455 prisoners.
Over the next four years, prison capacity increased by just 346 seats, reaching 14,108 in 2024. During the same period, however, the inmate population climbed sharply to 17,766, an increase of 2,549 prisoners or nearly 17 per cent.
The data shows that Gujarat's prison occupancy has steadily worsened over the past five years. Prisons operated at 110.6 per cent of their sanctioned capacity in 2020, rising to 118.6 per cent in 2021, 118.1 per cent in 2022, 122.8 per cent in 2023, and 125.9 per cent in 2024.
In practical terms, Gujarat's prisons are now accommodating 126 inmates for every 100 sanctioned spaces, or nearly 26 inmates more than they were designed to hold, underscoring the growing strain on the state's prison infrastructure.
The year-wise trend also underlines that overcrowding has not been a temporary phenomenon. Actual occupancy rose from 16,597 inmates in 2021 to 16,611 in 2022, then increased to 17,265 in 2023 before touching 17,766 in 2024, whereas capacity remained almost stagnant between 14,065 and 14,108 during the last three years. This indicates that new prison infrastructure has failed to match the pace of rising incarcerations.
The Gujarat figures mirror a wider national challenge. The Ministry informed Parliament that 609 prisons across India were operating beyond their sanctioned capacity in 2024.
Nationally, prisons had a total capacity of 4,53,769 inmates, while 5,11,542 prisoners were lodged inside them at the end of 2024, reflecting widespread overcrowding across the country.
The Centre further stated that prison administration falls under the jurisdiction of state governments, making them responsible for expanding prison infrastructure and managing overcrowding.
However, the Union Government said it released Rs 608.6 crore to states and Union Territories during the last five financial years under the Modernisation of Prisons Project for high-security prisons, security upgrades, skill development and inmate rehabilitation.
It also shared the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the Model Prison Manual 2016 with states to promote humane prison conditions and improve correctional administration.
