Bandini remains a name not a brand the state home department expects residents to begin their day with.

The home department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Comfed (Bihar State Milk Co-Operative Federation Limited) in January under which bread manufactured by Beur jail inmates was to be provided at Sudha Dairy outlets.

The product was to be named Bandini, as announced by the home department in June 2012. But, it was recently decided to upgrade the bakery equipment at the jail, holding up the process altogether.

A home department official said: “The department floated an expression of interest on August 2 to upgrade the machinery. The last date for interested parties to approach the department was August 19. But no one turned up and now the deadline has been extended to August 29. Once a party comes up, the project will be handed over after verification and formalities. The upgrade can take longer too. So, Bandini is unlikely to be available in the open market soon.”

At the time of signing the MoU, senior officials of Comfed and inspectorate of prisons and correctional services said bread made at the Beur bakery would be available in a week. If that week has long gone by, the department’s plan to float all products manufactured in different jails of the state in the markets as Bandini has also remained a plan.

Officials said the Beur bakery can manufacture 5,000 packets of bread in eight hours. Right now, only 600 packets are manufactured to meet the jail’s need.

A home department official said: “There have been delays... but work is on. Bandini will see the light of day.”

Officials promised more than just bread after the upgrade. BCP Singh, director of industries (jail), said: “The bakery will manufacture cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes and savouries, too. All of these will be floated under the brand name Bandini.”