Bhopal, December 28: Madhya Pradesh prisons are set to implement significant reforms under the MP Correctional Services and Prisons Act 2024, effective January 1, 2025. For the first time, women prisoners will receive hair removal cream once a month and shampoo weekly to enhance personal hygiene. Additionally, all prisoners will get a salad with their meals and slight increases in daily allocations of tea, milk, oil, and dal.

Originally planned for October 2, the Act’s implementation was delayed due to pending procedural requirements. Key provisions include addressing overcrowding—currently, 43,000 inmates occupy facilities designed for 36,000, including 1,900 women. Supreme Court Calls Caste-Based Division of Labour in Prisons ‘Unconstitutional’ After ‘Lower Caste’ Inmates Employed in Manual Scavenging Work.

The new laws emphasize psychological rehabilitation, training jail staff to better understand and manage criminal behavior, and redefining prisons as “Correctional Institutions.” Inspired by the Union Government’s Model Prisons Act 2023, the reforms prioritize technology and modernization. Administrative processes will be digitized, and data will be integrated with the central government’s computerized prison management system. Seamless information sharing and robust oversight will be facilitated through advanced interfaces. Supreme Court Bans Caste-Based Discrimination in Prisons, Quashes Jail Manual Rules of 10 States.

To enhance security, high-risk sections will feature advanced jamming equipment, and jail superintendents will conduct periodic searches to curb contraband and mobile phone use. Prison hospitals will see expanded capacities to improve inmate healthcare.

The state will also establish a Prison and Correctional Institution Development Board to modernise infrastructure. By focusing on hygiene, technology, and criminal rehabilitation, the government aims to foster a more efficient and humane correctional system, setting a benchmark for prison reforms in India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 28, 2024 11:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).