(a) whether the Government has formulated any Social security scheme(s) applicable to prisoners and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has formulated any social security scheme(s) applicable to women prisoners and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) whether the Government has formulated any social security scheme(s) applicable to the children of prisoners, outside the prison and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a) to (c): ‘Prisons’ and ‘persons detained therein’ are ‘State’ subjects as per Entry 4 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The State Governments are competent to devise and implement appropriate social security schemes for prison inmates, including women prisoners and children of prisoners etc., and for employment oriented skill development programmes for their re-integration into the society upon release. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories to States and
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L.S.US.Q.NO.2495 FOR 09.03.2021
UTs on efficient Prison Administration and for providing vocational and skill development training to prisoners, including women inmates. The Ministry of Home Affairs had also advised the States and UTs to coordinate and collaborate with their Skill Development Departments and to make provision for suitable opportunities for the development of skills of prison inmates, particularly women prisoners, to facilitate their reintegration into the society by providing them post release employment opportunities. States and UTs have also been advised to formulate suitable schemes and develop policy for providing employment to released convicts. States have been advised that on release from prisons, individual cases of released prisoners may be followed up by the concerned Probation/Welfare/Rehabilitation Officers for a period ranging from one year to five years according to the requirement of each case and the status of their rehabilitation and reintegration into the society may be closely monitored at appropriate level.
Model Prison Manual, 2016 forwarded to all States and UTs, has specific chapters on ‘Vocational training and skill development programmes’, ‘After-Care and Rehabilitation’ and ‘Women Prisoners’ etc. The guidelines contained in these chapters provide detailed guidance to the States about the rehabilitation and reintegration of prison inmates.
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