Jail inmates to be trained in food technology

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, July 20

Inmates of the Kurukshetra district prison will soon be able to get special training in food technology and bamboo furniture making.

Planned under the jail reforms initiative, the prison administration has roped in Gurugram-based Bride Point Skill and Network for long-term training sessions.

Jail superintendent Sanjay Singh said a team of trainers would be engaged for six years as part of the Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Yojana as a prisoners’ rehabilitation programme. He said it was proposed to train jail inmates in various aspects of food making and the hospitality industry.

“Service and catering will be among the focus areas. We will try to rope in entrepreneurs who can offer work to reformed prisoners after completing their sentence,” he said.

He said there were about 700 inmates, including 35 women,  and various reform programmes had been planned for their welfare.

Last week, the jail authorities had started a crash course in a bakery in association with the state-run Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, near here.

Faculty members Sanjeev Saini and Amit said 18 inmates had volunteered to take lessons in bakery and Indian cuisines in the first batch.

“Students will be trained in baking bread, ‘kulchas’ and pizzas. Our experts will give practical lessons in preparing curries to make common Indian dishes. Inmates are showing interest in the projects. We will motivate more prisoners to join classes, presently designed with a six-day schedule,” said Amit.

The jail administration planned to open an outlet to sell bakery products prepared by inmates. “The demand for bread for inmates is met with the help of a newly purchased electric oven. Prisoners will be motivated to work more to start selling products to the general public,” said the jailor.