As pilot project jail officials at Kalamba jail in Kolhapurhave begun to train its inmate in various trades.
The prisoners are trained in carpentry, tailoring, ironsmith trade etc. Some of them are also involved in farming activity.
It is an attempt to make the inmates proficient in one tradeor the other, so that when they complete their jail term they could start lifeafresh.
If the pilot project is successful it will be implemented inall the 38 prisons in Maharashtra.
In all the 38 prisons roughly 22,000 prisoners are undertrials and some of them are convicts.
Besides training them to be experts in one field or theother, the inmates could also earn some income for the institute.
The products produced by the jail inmates make its way tothe market. “There is good demand for goods produced by the prisoners in themarket,” informed Bhosle, Superintendent of the Kalamba jail.
Kalamba jail is famous for its farming produce carried outby the prisoners. The inmates are trained by experts of each of the trade.
The jail also has a workshop section where iron smith andcarpentry work is being carried out. The furniture products of the jail have avery good demand in the market.
Even handicraft course are also availed by some of theprisoners.
Kalamba jail has big property which used for farming. Thejail inmates work in the fields and the vegetables produced here are enough forthe jail’s inmates for daily use. The remaining vegetable is then shifted inthe nearby markets for sale. Modern techniques used in the agriculture are alsoimparted to the prisoners.
“Many prisoners in the jail are highly qualified. They needproper training. If we give them computer training they can be self-dependentand live an independent life after they complete their jail term,” Bhosle said.“We will entertain any NGO who is willing to help in imparting computer course insidethe jail,” Bhosle added.
