Inmates at Tihar Jail may soon produce everyday items such as slippers, toothpaste, and underwear. The prison administration plans to establish in-house units for manufacturing these products and will submit a proposal to the relevant authorities for approval. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to reduce operational costs in a facility housing up to 20,000 inmates.
A senior official from Tihar Jail revealed that if the proposal is approved, a governing board comprising both officials and inmate representatives will oversee the units. The initial proposal aims to set up two units: one for creating slippers and another for manufacturing registers. The register unit would involve inmates dyeing, printing, and binding pages primarily for internal use, while the slippers made will also be reserved for inmates.
Currently, Tihar Jail has several operating units producing various goods, including baked sweets, furniture, spices, and snacks. The furniture crafted by inmates is utilized in Delhi government schools, and Tihar Bakery outlets distribute baked items across the city. Additionally, shirts made by inmate tailors are popular among lawyers in Delhi.
Although the current production units primarily fulfill internal demand and are not profit-driven, a new management system involving inmates aims to improve business practices and streamline operations. The primary objective of these manufacturing units is to enhance employment opportunities for inmates while significantly lowering the costs associated with procuring daily-use items.
“We will propose manufacturing products that typically require mass procurement. Our calculations indicate that producing them within Tihar Jail will considerably reduce costs. Our main goal is to keep inmates engaged,” stated a jail official.
Inmates participate in these production units in various roles, classified as unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled workers. Those who haven’t worked in the jail before begin as unskilled workers and can advance to semi-skilled status after three months and skilled status after six months. An unskilled worker earns around Rs 7,000 per month, while skilled workers can make up to Rs 10,000 monthly. Currently, at least 8% of inmates must be employed, with a goal to increase this figure to 25% through these new job opportunities.
Regarding the jail’s capacity, the official noted that facilities designed for 5,000 inmates are currently housing over 12,000 prisoners. Jails intended for approximately 3,700 inmates are also exceeding their capacity, with current numbers edging beyond 3,900. Tihar Jail has a high concentration of first-time offenders in designated jails known as ‘Mulaija Jail.’
The proposal for the manufacturing units is being prepared under the supervision of the Superintendent (Factory) and the Superintendent (HQ) and will soon be sent to the pertinent authorities for approval.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/for-tihar-by-tihar-jail-inmates-could-soon-manufacture-their-own-toothpaste-slippers-heres-how-10025228/
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Publish Date: 2025-05-24 03:27:00
