Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s jails are operating at just 16.7% of their total capacity, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the state assembly on Monday.
In a written reply to a question by Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the Chief Minister revealed that as of December 12, 2025, the state’s jails have a total scheduled accommodation of 24,189, while the actual convict population stands at 4,048.
CM Majhi also shared district-wise figures, highlighting wide variations in jail occupancy across the state. In Khurda District, the Special Jail in Bhubaneswar has a capacity of 991 but houses only 128 inmates. In Cuttack District, the Circle Jail in Choudwar has a capacity of 1,166 with 259 inmates, while Angul District’s Circle Jail accommodates 129 inmates against a capacity of 418. In Balasore District, the District Jail has a capacity of 630 and a population of 145 inmates. Bargarh District’s District Jail has 37 inmates for a capacity of 331, and in Sambalpur District, the Circle Jail houses 180 inmates against a sanctioned capacity of 704.
The figures indicate that most jails in the state are operating well below their sanctioned capacity, allowing for better management and improved facilities for inmates.
