Bhubaneswar: The 4th meeting of the Prison Development Board was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.
The Board was constituted in 2022 and comprises nine Secretaries along with the Director General of Prisons and Director of Correctional Services as members. The meeting reviewed the various new initiatives undertaken by the Prison Directorate during the last one year to augment security in jails across the state.
It was informed that AI camera-based CCTV systems with video analytics have already been installed in 20 jails. Steps have also been taken to increase the height of perimeter walls with concertina wire and to upgrade other security-related infrastructure. To further strengthen surveillance, modern security gadgets including drones, body-worn cameras, HHMD, DFMD, deep search metal detectors and non-linear junction detectors for detecting mobile phones have been introduced. Prison intelligence units have been established in jails and more convict prisoners are being engaged in internal security duties.
The Board also reiterated the enforcement of telephone call facilities for inmates as per the Prison Manual, restricting them to two calls of four minutes duration each per week. Periodic security audits and surprise checks are being conducted by senior prison officers, district police and intelligence teams.
Regular visits are also being made by the District Legal Services Authority, District Judges and Hon’ble Judges of the High Court.
The Board stressed on stringent disciplinary action against all lapses and dereliction in duty.
Apart from security, the meeting also discussed various initiatives taken for improving living conditions and facilitating the reintegration of inmates into society. As part of this, 118 dedicated yoga trainers have been introduced in 74 jails and 61 mental health counselors have been deployed in 36 jails. To keep inmates engaged in productive activities, 96 micro industries have been installed inside prisons.
A special drive for skill upgradation and vocational training was undertaken in 2025, during which 1,636 prisoners received training. Efforts are also being made for the standardization and branding of prison-made products.
The Board took note of a special medicinal plantation project undertaken at the Open Air Jail in Jamujhari. A special drive was also launched for filing appeals in the High Court and SLPs in the Supreme Court for eligible inmates, with 2,418 appeals and 256 SLPs filed so far.
Another special drive is underway to apprehend all escaped prisoners and parole or furlough jumpers since the year 2000. Under an educational initiative, 218 inmates passed various courses ranging from Matriculation to Post Graduation through NIOS, IGNOU and OSOU during 2025-26.
Under the agenda points, the Board discussed infrastructure development, including the construction of new model prisons in Bhubaneswar, Jajpur and Bhadrak.
Issues related to prisoner welfare and better living conditions were also taken up, such as revision of diet cost, provision of night food, supply of pure and safe drinking water, wages for prisoners, setting up of de-addiction centers inside jails and the establishment of a mental health institute at Choudwar Jail in Cuttack.
The Board also deliberated on other developmental aspects of prison administration, including enhancement of the sanctioned strength of guarding staff and opening of more open air jails.
The Prison Development Board reaffirmed its commitment to making Odisha’s prisons more secure while ensuring better facilities for inmates and focusing on their reform and rehabilitation.
