A different school: Ghaghidih jail

Jamshedpur, June 3: Freshness no bar.

That can well be the tagline for food items baked by inmates of Ghaghidih Central Jail. For, jail authorities here are working on an ambitious plan to set up a bakery unit inside the prison, modelled on the lines of the one at New Delhi’s Tihar Jail.

In fact, breads, cookies, biscuits, rusks et al, made by Tihar inmates, are stocked under the brand name TJ’s at prison outlets and shops on premises of Delhi courts, and enjoy a growing acceptance with consumers.

Ghaghidih jail superintendent Tushar Kanti Gupta, who visited New Delhi between May 23 and 28 to attend an interaction programme for development of prison officers sponsored by the home ministry, also made a tour of Tihar Jail. And he was so impressed by its bakery that he wanted to replicate it here.

“It is so professionally run. Tihar’s bakery unit has an annual turnover of Rs 203 crore,” Gupta said.

Gupta and his team are mulling several schemes under the ambit of livelihood-based prison reform. Stitching, artificial jewellery making carpet weaving and hand pump assembling are underway, in which 1,100-plus prisoners, including 27 women at Ghaghidih Central Jail, are involved. Prisoners stitch their own uniforms. NGO Jan Shikshan Sansthan and Tata Steel’s Urban Services chip in with training.

Gupta added that a proposal to set up an offset printing press had been sent to IG (prisons) Vijay Kumar Singh. And now, the bakery will be added to the list as its commercial excites the authorities.

“We are working out logistics of a prison bakery here which we’ll sent to IG (prisons) for approval. At Tihar, prisoners, working in shifts, are locked inside the unit with two large ovens and a packaging cell. It is run very efficiently and professionally. We can attempt something similar here. The income generated will be used for prisoners’ welfare and make the unit self-financed,” Gupta said.

The best part is that the Ghaghidih jail is spacious, so setting up units as diverse as printing and bakery is not a problem.

“See, the reform possibilities of prison are enormous. Skills acquired behind bars will help inmates join the mainstream once they are out of jail. They can help start life afresh. We also enlist the help of district administrative to employ former convicts whenever possible,” Gupta said.