(a) whether the Government proposes to bring prison reforms in the country;
(b) if so, the salient features thereof;
(c) whether the State Governments have been consulted in this regard;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to bring
in large scale changes in the prison management of the country?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI R.P.N. SINGH)
(a) to (e): “Prison†is a State subject under Entry 4 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution.
The management and administration of Prisons falls exclusively in the domain of the State Governments. However,
the Government had implemented a scheme for Modernisation of Prisons from 2002-2007 for 27 States(except Arunachal
Pradesh) with an outlay of Rs. 1800 crore and the same closed on 31-3-2009. As a result of construction of new jails, barracks under the scheme, overcrowding in prisons was brought down substantially from 45.38% in 2005 to 12.1% in 2011
as per data compiled by National Crime Records Bureau. To further the prison reforms in the country and consolidate
gains of the first phase of the scheme a proposal for second phase of the scheme for modernization of prisons is under consideration in this Ministry.
Further, a comprehensive Advisory on “Prison Administration†has been issued by the Government on 17-7-2009 to all
the States/UTs for compliance to ensure uniformity in administration and management of prisons in the country.