BHUBANESWAR: Seven major prisons of the state will soon have access to a common dashboard that will provide jail superintendents instant links to the case and medical history of inmates at the click of a mouse.
Under the modernization programme approved by the state government, Directorate of Prisons has selected five circle jails in Choudwar, Sambalpur, Baripada, Koraput and Berhampur along with Bhubaneswar special jail and Puri jail where technology is being adopted to streamline operation for jail managers while giving improved security and welfare measures to inmates.
Accordingly, a dashboard is being developed using which superintendents will be able to collect information on inmates such as medical history and matters related to hearings cases. Similarly, the modernization programme will ease the difficulties of family members of the inmates towards financial transactions. Currently, the kin have to deposit cash in the jails so that the inmates buy coupons for making purchases in the canteens. However, with introduction of a biometric fingerprint system, inmates will be able to make purchases in canteens without paying cash. The family members of the under-trial prisoners and convicts can transfer the money directly into their bank accounts.
“Inmates can purchase from jail canteens by using the biometric fingerprint system and will also be able to see on the screens the balance in their bank accounts,” said director general of Prisons Manoj Kumar Chhabra. The prisons directorate is also planning to install a video call system in the jails. The facility will be equipped with biometric fingerprinting and enable inmates to make calls to two pre-loaded telephone numbers of his/her family members, he informed.
For prison modernization, the state government made a budgetary provision of Rs 17 crore. Chhabra said the directorate has already received 50 per cent funds allocated for the financial year 2023-2024.
“As part of the modernization project, turnstile gates equipped with biometric identification system will be installed in the seven jails. An inmate lodged in a particular ward will not be able to enter other cells due to this system,” said the director, of prisons.
The directorate has even received Rs 10 crore corpus fund and the money will be used to set up new factories and enhance skill-based activities in the jails across the state. It also aims to increase the manpower of warders in the jails. While the national average is one warder per nine inmates, in Odisha, the ratio is 1:12. Recently, 400 warders were recruited and efforts are on to increase their numbers to match the national average, said Chhabra.
DG Prisons also informed that 33 psychiatric social workers have been recruited to assess the mental health of the inmates. They will provide counselling to inmates having mental health issues. Sources said over 800 inmates lodged in different jails of the state are suffering from various mental health issues.