Odisha government sets up 'Prisons Development Board' to modernise prisons
Jan 28, 2022
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 28 : The Odisha Government has constituted the 'Prisons Development Board' to modernise prisons across the state.
"The board has been constituted for an institutional arrangement conducive to speedy decision making and to take full advantage of modern technology and managerial practices in the development of prisons." said an official notification issued by Home Department.
As per the official notification, the eleven-member board will be headed by Chief Secretary as Chairman and DG Prisons & Correctional Services will be Member-Convenor. The secretaries from different departments including, Home, Finance, Law, Revenue & Disaster Management, Higher Education, Skill Development, Women & Child Development, Health and Electronics & IT Department will be the members of the Board.
The board will examine the living conditions of the prisoners in all the prisons with specific reference to their basic needs and provisions of facilities compatible with the dignity of human life.
It also aims to reform and re-assimilate the prisoners in the social milieu by giving them appropriate correctional treatment.
Construction of new prisons will also be suggested by the board where the existing prisons are not in satisfactory condition or are beyond repairs.
"The board will also review and suggest the measures for the development of programmes for the treatment of prisoners including education, vocational training and productive work with the view to developing prisons as a correctional centre with the focus to manage efficiently Prisons by inducting modern technology, methods and apparatus," added the notification.
As per the notification, the board will prepare a three to five-year action plan for the overall development of the prisons, and the board will seek help from subject experts for smooth administration of prisons & correctional services in the state.
On the basis of the Action plan, an annual target will be set to achieve and the board will review the implementation of annual targets and further will take the steps.
For the purpose, the board will also study the best practices adopted by other state governments.
