Motihari, June 30: The inmates of Motihari Central Jail would now experience the empowerment that comes with literacy, courtesy Prerna — the special drive of the state government.

Starting from the first week of July, around 400 illiterate inmates would benefit from the programme. Giving its nod to the project, the state human resource development (HRD) department has asked the prison administration to ensure a favourable atmosphere in the jail for studies.

The literate prisoners will serve as teachers under the programme.

“At least two instructors for each of the eight teaching centres in the jail have been selected. The process to train the inmate instructors has begun with the help of the HRD department officials. We want the inmates associated with the outlawed or banned outfits to come forward and be a part of the programme either as students or instructors,” jail superintendent K.P. Pingua told The Telegraph.

The jail superintendent said: “All literate inmates would be given certificates. The teaching centres in the prison would be tagged to the nearest middle school. The inmates would be able to take tests and get certificates.”

He added that all the essential consignments, including books and copies, for the project have arrived.