Initiative to support psychological wellbeing of jail inmates

The Directorate of Prisons and Correctional Services has launched ‘Unmesh – Jab Man Khilta Hai’ programme aimed at supporting the psychological and emotional well-being of inmates.

Under the programme, Sunil Sharma, a retired professor of psychology, will provide counseling services to the inmates. The programme has been launched in the Model Central Jail, Kanda in Shimla district.

The programme will run for about three months and will soon be held in the remaining prisons of the state.

Along with this, another initiative named ‘Waste Under Arrest’ has also been launched in collaboration with Waste Warriors to promote environmental awareness and sustainability among the inmates. Under the programme, workshops on waste management and creating useful products from waste materials will be organised.

The programmes were launched during the visit of Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla to the Kanda jail and an interaction with the inmates. ADGP (Prisons) Abhishek Trivedi briefed the Governor about the department’s activities, rehabilitation initiatives and reform programmes.

The Governor said that the jail inmates had been engaged in various tasks under the “Har Hath Ko Kaam” initiative and the goods prepared by them were being sold through the HimKaara store. He commended the practice that 40 per cent of the profits thus earned were being given to the inmates as wages.

The Governor said that the inmates were being trained in various tasks at the correctional home so that they could become self-reliant, able to care for their families and provide employment to others by starting start-ups.