MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI AJAY MAKEN)
(a) & (b): As per data compiled by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the total
number of jails in the country at the end of 2007 were 1276.
The total authorized capacities of these jails were 277304. However, against this, the total
prison population were 3,76,396. Thus the overcrowding in Indian prisons exists to the extent
of 135.7%.
Various categories of jails, their capacity, population and occupancy rate is given as under:
Type of jail No. of Jail Capacity No. of inmates Occupancy rate
Central jails 113 123079 166047 134.9
District jails 309 103853 157731 151.9
Sub jails 769 37532 42263 112.6
Women jails 16 3047 2777 91.1
Borstal School 10 1602 737 46
Open jails 28 3076 2346 76.3
Special jails 25 4649 4038 86.9
Others 6 466 457 98.1
Total 1276 277304 376396 135.7
(C) to (f): Yes Madam. An all India Conference of Jail Ministers/Secretary (Jails)/DGs and IG
(Prisons) of State/UT was held in April 2008. During the conference, decision were taken to address
inter-alia, the following issues relating to the prisons.
(a) overcrowding prisons,
(b) improving living conditions by providing basic sanitation and sewage facilities,
(c) undertaking correctional administration measures for rehabilitation and reformation of prisoners,
(d) providing technical and vocational training to the prison inmates,
(e) modrenisation and technological upgradation of prisons so as to provide better administration
and improve the security system of prisons,
(f) training of prison staff for improving administration,
The State Governments/UTs have sent proposals seeking financial assistance to address the aforesaid issues.
(g) & (h): Considering the demand of various States for granting further financial assistance for
construction of new jails/additional barracks so
as to address the problem of overcrowding, proposal for 2nd phase of scheme of modrenisation of prisons
was formulated by Ministry of Home Affairs. The proposal was examined by the Committee of Non-Plan
Expenditure (CNE) in the Ministry of Finance. AS outcome of CNE meeting it was decided not to go ahead
with the second phase of scheme for the time being owing to heavy commitments of Government of India on
other important sectors. It has also been decided that the State Government may approach the Planning
Commission for seeking more funds for the Modernisation of Prisons. The Government of India will support
the Proposal of the State Governments when they submit the same to the Planning commission.
