India News | TM Yoga, Financial Literacy Classes Started in HP's Kanda Jail

Shimla, Dec 1 (PTI) Himachal Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday launched several new schemes in Kanda Jail including a meditation and financial literacy programme, saying the jail has now been converted into a "reform house."

A telemedicine project, waste management training, free online coaching and audio library for prisoners, were the other schemes started in the jail located in the suburbs of Shimla.

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"Whatever may be the reason for coming here, you are here to learn, experiment, get trained and move forward with positive thoughts," Arlekar said.

He said that the inmates should take advantage of various programmes being run for the prisoners. He also released a poetry collection 'Parwaz.'

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The Transcendental Meditation programme, also launched on Thursday, will be run by the Transcendental Meditation Institute.

Under the telemedicine programme specialist doctors will give online consultation to the prisoners.

The financial literacy programme will be run collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India.

The Prisons department in association with West Warriors Society, Dharamshala, has set up a waste management Unit in Dharamshala under the 'Waste Under Arrest Program.' Such units will also be set up in all other jails of the state.

Under this programme, inmates will be taught to segregate waste, and also waste upcycling techniques such as vermicomposting from green waste and making boards from Tetra Pak.

He also launched free online coaching for the children of prisoners with the help of Smile Foundation, and also an audio library for the prisoners who could not read books due to paucity of time.

Later, the governor planted a sapling in Kanda Jail. He also inspected various units where prisoners were engaged in manufacturing of products.

Assistant Director General of Police Satwant Atwal said that a barrack each in every jail has been declared as “free prison” in the state.

In these prisons, eligible prisoners are allowed to earn a living by going out of the jail and take better care of their families.

She said that Himachal Pradesh was the only state in the country which has provided such a facility to eligible women prisoners.

Other prisons of the country are following the example of Himachal Pradesh and the work of the prison department has been rewarded in nine different categories, she said. PTI/BPL

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)