Support to Poor Prisoners Scheme is a Ministry of Home Affairs initiative offering financial assistance to prisoners unable to pay fines or secure bail due to financial constraints.
About the scheme:
- The “Support to Poor Prisoners” scheme is a program by the Ministry of Home Affairs that offers financial assistance to prisoners who are unable to pay fines or bail due to financial constraints.
- The scheme aims to help prisoners who are part of socially disadvantaged or low-income groups.
- Initiative is part of the Centre’s priority in “reaching the last mile: no one to be left behind” under which the “Support to Poor Prisoners Scheme” was launched
- The scheme provides 100% central funding, with an annual allocation of Rs 20 crore.
- States and Union territories can use this fund to provide financial assistance to poor prisoners who are unable to pay fines or secure bail, following the guidelines and standard operating procedures.
- The matter of prisons and persons detained therein falls under the jurisdiction of the State government as it is a State subject.
- The scheme is a significant measure to address challenges faced by impoverished prisoners, aiming to alleviate issues and contribute to the reduction of overcrowding in prisons.
Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedure for implementation of Scheme:
- States and UTs were instructed to establish district-level “Empowered Committees” and state/UT-level “Oversight Committees” to examine the cases of eligible prisoners and sanction the amount required for paying their fine/bail surety amount.
- The committees will be supported by District Legal Services Authority and prison authorities to assess cases of eligible prisoners.
- As per the guidelines, the maximum assistance would be Rs 40,000 for undertrial prisoners and Rs 25,000 for convicted prisoners, though a higher assistance may be approved by the state-level oversight committee.
- National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is appointed as the Central Nodal Agency (CNA) for implementing the scheme.
- The NCRB had opened an account in a nationalised bank for the “Support to Poor Prisoners Scheme”.
- States/UTs were directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to open subsidiary accounts under the NCRB’s Central Nodal Agency account.
- These accounts were to be promptly mapped on the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) since all funds from the Centre would be channeled through this account.
Other Measures taken to improve condition of Prison and Prisoners:
- Model Prisons Act, 2023: Introduced to facilitate the transformation of inmates into law-abiding citizens and support their rehabilitation in society.
- Fast Track Courts: Established to expedite the trial of pending cases, ensuring a swifter judicial process.
- National Human Rights Commission: Entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard the basic rights of prisoners, promoting a humane approach to incarceration.
- Model Prison Manual 2016: Offers comprehensive guidelines on facilities that can be provided to under-trial inmates, contributing to their well-being.
- Segregate high-risk offenders: The Model Prisons Act, 2023, states that high-risk offenders should be segregated from other prisoners and housed in separate cells or barracks.
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