Bhubaneswar: Prisons play a very critical role in our criminal justice system not only by imprisoning criminals, but by providing the inmates an opportunity to reform, to learn, and to reintegrate them into society as productive and law-abiding citizens, said CM Naveen Patnaik while laying the foundation stone for the model Jail at Jamujhari on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
Patnaik termed the moment a momentous occasion that heralded the beginning of a new era for the jail administration.
“For too long, out-dated and overcrowded prison facilities have provided limited scope for reforms and have been a stumbling block in our efforts to provide a humane and safe environment for the inmates,” he added.
The new Model Jail at Jamujhari, Bhubaneswar has been designed to address these concerns. The Jail, which is being done under the 5-T initiative, will be a futuristic jail. A lot of research and study of many prisons has been done before preparing the plan for this transformational prison, the CM pointed out.
It will be completely automated, with state-of-art security features, I.P based surveillance, e-court rooms, multiple VC facilities, amongst many such facilities, Patnaik informed.
This environment-friendly prison with net-zero carbon emission, zero discharge will have separate wards for each category of inmates. The Model Jail will provide the inmates, a vastly improved living conditions, easy access to essential health care and educational resources, Patnaik said.
“We believe that the war against crime is best fought by promoting reform and rehabilitation. I hope this Model Jail will provide the inmates sufficient opportunities to reform into productive members of society upon release,” the CM said.
The programme was organised on virtual mode while 5T & Nabin Odisha Chairman Kartik Pandian moderated the event.
Minister of State for Home Tusharkanti Behera, Jatni MLA Suresh Kumar Routray, DG Prisons A.M Prasad and Additional DG Amitabh Thakur were present at Jamujhari.
ACS Home D.K. Singh and CMD Odisha State Police Housing Corporation Santosh Bala were present at Lok Seva Bhawan.
