Yogi Govt set to build 20 new hi-tech prisons in UP

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 20 (ANI): In view of reports about the number of inmates exceeding jails' capacity in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government has decided to construct 20 new, high-tech jails in the state, which includes 11 districts that do not have any prison at present.
Apart from this, the process of construction of one central jail and other jails in nine districts has also started while the number of barracks is being increased in some of the jails.
On the instructions of CM Yogi, a huge budget has been released in this regard and the Prison Department has been given the green signal to go ahead with the works.
These jails will be hi-tech keeping in view the present scenario. The government has set a target of two to five years to complete the construction of the new jails.
CM Yogi Adityanath has given the green signal to the proposal in this regard. Earlier, at a high-level meeting, the CM was informed by the Prison Administration and Reform Services that at present the state's central and district jails were overcrowded due to the presence of more inmates than the jails' capacity.
The need for building new jails while keeping in view the facilities provided by the jail manual and protection of the human rights of the prisoners was stressed at the meeting.
Senior officials of the Prison Administration and Reform Services told CM Yogi that currently against the capacity to accommodate 13,669 prisoners, the seven central jails of UP have 15,201 inmates lodged in them, which is a ratio of 111 per cent.
Similarly, 62 district jails with a capacity of 49,107 prisoners have 95,597 prisoners lodged in them, with a ratio of 194 per cent.
There are two sub-jails with a capacity of 306 prisoners in which 664 inmates are lodged with its ratio coming to 216 per cent.
Women's Central Jail has a capacity of 120 prisoners, against which 148 prisoners are detained, with a ratio of 123 per cent.
On this, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed the Prison Administration and Reform Services to submit a proposal regarding the construction of new jails to the Prisons Department as soon as possible.
Subsequently, the Prisons Department made a proposal for the construction of new jails in 11 districts of the state, which was later approved by the CM during another meeting.
As soon as CM Yogi's approval was received, the Prison Administration and Reform Services released a huge budget to the Prisons Department for the construction of new jails.
As soon as the government released the budget for the construction of new jails, the way was cleared for their construction, particularly in those districts of the state, which do not have any.
The construction process has started in a total of 11 districts of the state, including prisons with a capacity of 990 inmates each in Amethi and Mahoba, 1,000 in Kushinagar, Chandauli, Auraiya, Hapur, Sambhal, Amroha and Bhadohi, and 1,026 in Hathras and 2,000 in Shamli.
Similarly, the construction of a new Central Jail in Lalitpur with a capacity of 2,000 inmates has been expedited.
At the same time, the process of construction of second district jail of 1,000 inmate capacity has started in Lalitpur.
Besides, funds have been approved for the repair and renovation of Bareilly's old jail, which will have a capacity of 2,579 prisoners.
Apart from this, the process of construction of prisons with a capacity of 3,000 each in Moradabad and Muzaffarnagar, 2,000 each in Shahjahanpur, Badaun and Varanasi and 1,000 each in Jaunpur and Rampur and 5,000 in Kanpur city is underway.
At the same time, by the end of March, the district jail with a capacity of 502 prisoners in Shravasti and 2,688 in Prayagraj will be ready.
Along with this, one barrack with a capacity of 30 prisoners is being constructed in Gorkhupar District Jail, seven barracks with a capacity of 30 prisoners in Central Jail Varanasi and four barracks with a capacity of 30 prisoners in District Jail Mathura.
With the construction of new jails, repair of existing jails and increasing the capacity of barracks in jails, more than 35,000 prisoners can be shifted there. (ANI)