MHA writes to states, UTs to take full advantage of 'Support to Poor Prisoners' scheme

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has found fault with states and union territories for "not taking full advantage" of a central government's scheme to financially help poor prisoners who are forced to remain in jail due to their inability to pay fines or bail surety.

The MHA is of the view that its "repeated persuasion" has not yielded much results and this has forced it to write to states and union territories to take steps to use 'Support to Poor Prisoners' scheme launched last year.

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has been designated as the Central Nodal Agency to implement the scheme. It had also made a provision for Rs 20 crore annually, which the states and union territories can make use of for providing financial assistance to poor prisoners to seek release from jail.

In the letter to Chief Secretaries and Directors General of prisons, the MHA has said that the scheme has not been availed in full by several states and union territories. It was aimed at providing relief to poor prisoners who are unable to pay the amount of fine imposed on them or are unable to secure bail due to financial constraints. 

Many such prisoners could be socially disadvantaged or may belong to low-income groups, MHA Director (Prisons) Arun Sobti said in the letter. The Union Home Secretary had on June 19 last year shared the Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedure of the scheme to states and union territories.

"However, it is noted that many states and union territories are yet to take full advantage of this scheme despite MHA's repeated persuasion in this regard," Sobti said.

According to the MHA, a convicted person can get up to Rs 25,000 if the case is cleared by District Empowered Committee and if any amount above this, it will be decided by sate-level Oversight Committee.

Similarly, a undertrial prisoner can get up to Rs 40,000 from District Level Empowered Committee and any amount above that has to be cleared state-level oversight committee.

Home Minister Amit Shah has said in a letter in May last year to all states and union territories that the scheme would help such poor prisoners to come out of the jail and join the mainstream once again as an able citizen of the society.

He had said that the union government would provide financial assistance through the state governments to provide relief to those poor prisoners who are not released from jail due to financial constraints.