India
Cancer Survivor: Identify poor prisoners for financial aid to secure release, MHA tells states
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NEW DELHI: Pushing the Centrally-funded scheme to provide financial support to poor prisoners who are forced to remain in jail due to inability to pay the fine imposed on them or cannot secure bail due to financial constraints, the home ministry earlier this week asked all the state and UT prison departments to direct its concerned officers to activate the scheme on an urgent basis.
Reminding the state/UT home departments and prison officials about its June 2023 guidelines and SOPs on financial aid to poor prisoners, which require them to constitute empowered committees to identify deserving poor to be granted benefits under the scheme, the home ministry in a letter on Tuesday said the government had already made a provision of funds that may be drawn by the states and UTs for implementing the scheme.
“During our recent meetings with the heads of prisons of all states and UTs, we had requested them to share the details of action taken by them in this regard. However, a response is awaited in the matter. Since this is a significant scheme of the Government of India which can have far reaching effects on the life of poor prisoners who are not able to secure their release from prisons on bail or due to non-payment of fine, you are requested to kindly review the matter personally and confirm to MHA if empowered committees…have been constituted in all districts of the states/UTs and whether beneficiaries of this scheme have been identified by the states/UTs. The state/UT authorities may therefore issue necessary directions to its concerned officers for activating the scheme on urgent basis and provide a confirmation to MHA in this regard,” MHA said in its letter.
States and UTs were in June 2023 advised through the guidelines shared by MHA, seeking to constitute an ‘empowered committee’ in each district to assess the requirement of financial support by each prisoner for securing bail or for payment of fine, etc. and based on the decision taken, have the district collector or district magistrate draw money from the CNA account to provide assistance to the prisoner.
Reminding the state/UT home departments and prison officials about its June 2023 guidelines and SOPs on financial aid to poor prisoners, which require them to constitute empowered committees to identify deserving poor to be granted benefits under the scheme, the home ministry in a letter on Tuesday said the government had already made a provision of funds that may be drawn by the states and UTs for implementing the scheme.
“During our recent meetings with the heads of prisons of all states and UTs, we had requested them to share the details of action taken by them in this regard. However, a response is awaited in the matter. Since this is a significant scheme of the Government of India which can have far reaching effects on the life of poor prisoners who are not able to secure their release from prisons on bail or due to non-payment of fine, you are requested to kindly review the matter personally and confirm to MHA if empowered committees…have been constituted in all districts of the states/UTs and whether beneficiaries of this scheme have been identified by the states/UTs. The state/UT authorities may therefore issue necessary directions to its concerned officers for activating the scheme on urgent basis and provide a confirmation to MHA in this regard,” MHA said in its letter.
States and UTs were in June 2023 advised through the guidelines shared by MHA, seeking to constitute an ‘empowered committee’ in each district to assess the requirement of financial support by each prisoner for securing bail or for payment of fine, etc. and based on the decision taken, have the district collector or district magistrate draw money from the CNA account to provide assistance to the prisoner.
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