Creative work will help prisoners get back to mainstream: Judge
If prisoners get involved in creative work and arts during their jail term, it will help them in changing their mindset and get back to the mainstream, Nagpur's Principal District and Sessions Judge SC More has said. He was speaking on Wednesday after inaugurating an exhibition-cum-sale of rakhis, wooden articles, and clothes made by inmates of the central jail in Nagpur in Maharashtra.
He appreciated creative work of the prisoners
The judge appreciated the creative work of the prisoners and said, "I had no idea that there are artisans in this prison. If their time in jail is spent doing good work, their nature will change." Jail superintendent Anup Kumar said that the prison administration was providing a platform to the inmates to showcase their hidden talent.
They have created these items with great diligence: Jail superintendent
Kumar told The Hitvada that prison inmates have created these items with great diligence and ingenuity. The items made by prisoners include wooden chairs, wooden stools, dressing tables, armchairs, sky lamps, bangle stands, pen stands, turtle-shaped betel nut boxes, towels, dupattas, chair mats, kitchen aprons, and others. Notably, the sales center in the central jail premises is open for citizens till August 25.
Factories in Nagpur prison currently generate Rs. 1.20cr/year as revenue
Kumar said that the articles were made in the jail's factory section by prisoners, who were given prior training to develop their hidden skills. The prison's deputy superintendent, Deepa Aage, said, "Nagpur prison had six factories that were earlier generating a revenue of more than Rs. six crore every year. After the COVID-19 outbreak, the revenue dipped to Rs. 1.20 crore this year."
Furniture made by jail inmates was provided to various courts
"The Nagpur prison got a contract to provide furniture for a newly-constructed court building," she said, adding that furniture made by prisoners of various jails was provided to Amravati, Dhule, and other courts in the state.
