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MHA ropes in steps for welfare of prisoners especially guiding 'Saptarshi'

‘Support for Poor Prisoners’ envisages provision of required financial support to poor persons who are in prisons and unable to afford the penalty or the bail amount. This will enable poor prisoners, majority of whom belong to socially disadvantaged or marginalized groups with lower education and income level, to get out of prison

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North Block MHA

New Delhi, April 7

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been taking various steps to address the issue of undertrials in prisons from time to time especially with its key initiative Guiding ‘Saptarishis’ is Reaching the Last Mile.

Under this, one of the announcements is ‘Support for Poor Prisoners’. It envisages provision of required financial support to poor persons who are in prisons and unable to afford the penalty or the bail amount. This will enable poor prisoners, majority of whom belong to socially disadvantaged or marginalized groups with lower education and income level, to get out of prison.

The officials stated that the broad contours of  the scheme have been finalised in consultation with concerned stakeholders under which Government of India will provide financial support to States in order to extend relief to those poor prisoners who are unable to avail bail or get released from prisons due to non-payment of fine, on account of financial constraints.

To further strengthen the process, technology driven solutions will be put in place to ensure that benefits reach the poor prisoners; reinforcing the E-prisons platform; strengthening of District Legal Services Authority and sensitization and capacity building of stakeholders to ensure that quality legal aid is made available to needy poor prisoners, etc, added offficials. 

The MHA stated that the prisons are an important part of the Criminal Justice System, and play a significant role in upholding the rule of law. 

It has been sharing important guidelines with State Governments through various advisories issued from time to time. MHA has also been providing financial support to the State Governments for enhancing and modernizing the security infrastructure in prisons.

The MHA under Home Minister Amit Shah have also introduced insertion of Section 436A in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), insertion of a new chapter XXIA 'Plea Bargaining' in the CrPC etc. Free legal aid is being provided to poor prisoners through Legal Services Authority at various level.



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