Uttarakhand govt to hike minimum wages of prisoners employed in prison labour

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], October 3 (ANI): In the first meeting of the Jail Development Board at the Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Uttarakhand government has decided to increase the minimum wage rates of prisoners employed as labour in prisons, said an official statement from the government of Uttarakhand on Tuesday.  
It was decided to increase the daily wages for skilled from Rs 67 to Rs 85, for semi-skilled from Rs 52 to Rs 65 and for unskilled from Rs 44 to Rs 55. Bakery units will be established in all the prisons of the state, added the official statement.  
In the meeting, it was agreed to purchase 10 cows of good breed in Sampurnanand Camp (Open Jail), Sitarganj and also to establish a nursery of various species of fruit and medicinal plants on 5 bighas land. For this, all arrangements for training, maintenance and procurement will be made by the Horticulture Department. 50 to 60 prisoners can be employed as labourers from this nursery centre.
It was decided in the meeting that the Skill Development Department will provide training for the skill development of prisoners detained in jails, as mentioned in the statement.
According to the interest and ability of the prisoners, training will be given in professions like electrician, welder, carpenter, tailor, carpenter etc. A target has been set to train 500 prisoners in the first phase. Laundry machines will be arranged in Dehradun and Haridwar jails for washing prisoners' clothes.
The power loom industry operating in the District Jail, Haridwar will be modernized. For the sale of products manufactured in prisons, if the departments find the quality and price of the product right, then permission will be given to purchase it. Instructions were given to negotiate with the Forest Corporation for the purchase of timber for the furniture industry, read the official statement.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister also directed to make Secretary Justice a member of the Jail Development Board.
The Chief Minister said that the Health Department should bring a proposal to the Cabinet for the availability of 11 vacant posts of doctors for the health care of prisoners in jails. (ANI)