Centre to launch special scheme to provide financial support to poor prisoners

The Central Government has taken a big step to reduce the crowd of prisoners in the country’s various jails. To reduce the number of prisoners, the Central Government has decided to launch a special scheme to provide financial assistance to poor people lodged in prisons. The Center has taken this decision because those people (poor prisoners) cannot afford the fine or bail amount.

“This will enable poor prisoners, most of whom belong to socially disadvantaged or marginalized groups with low education and income levels, to move out of jail,” the Union Home Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The statement said the broad contours of the assistance scheme for poor prisoners had been finalized in consultation with the stakeholders.

According to the statement, technology-based solutions will be created to ensure that the scheme’s benefits reach poor prisoners, the e-prison platform will be strengthened, and the District Legal Services Authority will be strengthened. In addition, stakeholders will be sensitized, and capacity will be emphasized.

Explain that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech this year, had announced to provide financial assistance to poor prisoners who cannot afford their fines or bail amount.

The Home Ministry said that the government is taking several steps to solve the problem of undertrials lodged in jails. Under this, one of the announcements is ‘support for poor prisoners’. Other steps include the inclusion of section 436A in the Criminal Procedure Code and a new Chapter XXIA ‘plea bargaining’ in the CrPC.

The Ministry said that free legal aid is being provided to poor prisoners through Legal Services Authority at various levels. “Further to ensure that the benefits of the budget reach all the intended sections of the society, one of the budget’s priorities, the guiding ‘Saptarishis’, are reaching out to the last mile,” he added.

The statement said that prisons are an important part of the criminal justice system and play a vital role in maintaining the rule of law. The Ministry of Home Affairs shares important guidelines with the state governments through various advisories issued occasionally. The Ministry said that the Ministry is also providing financial assistance to the State Governments to enhance and modernize the security infrastructure in the prisons.