Koderma, Aug. 24: Prisoners lodged in jails across the state would soon get to read books, both fiction and non-fiction, courtesy the efforts of the home (prison) department which has granted Rs 20 lakh to set up libraries in all the 22 prisons in the state.

The home department has sanctioned Rs 75,000 each to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi and Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan Central Jail in Hazaribagh.

Jail and sub jails at Koderma, Giridih, Dumka, Dhanbad, Jamshedpur, Chaibasa, Daltonganj, Ghaghidih, Khunti, Lohardaga, Seraikela, Simdega, Gumla, Ghatsila, Gharwa, Latehar, Pakur, Rajmahal, Sahebganj, Godda, Deoghar, Jamtara, Chas, Chatra and Tenughat have been sanctioned Rs 74,000 each.

Deputy commissioner of Koderma Shabhapati Kushwaha inaugurated a library at Koderma jail on August 14. The prison has 238 inmates, the majority of whom are under trials. Seven of the prisoners are women.

The library has books on Indian philosophy, religion, yoga, computer, health, with focus on AIDS and novels written by Premchand, Taslima Nasreen, Kiran Bedi. Earlier, black and white television sets were installed in each of the wards of the sub-jail. Each ward has been provided with carom board, chess board and Ludo.

Mukul Kumar Pandey, jail superintendent of Koderma sub jail said following orders from inspector general of police (prison) Saytendra Singh and a letter from the home department, books were purchased for the library.

“The inmates are spending a lot of time in the library. Koderma court has also granted provisional bail to prisoner Manoj Ravidas for appearing in the JPSC preliminary examination,” he added.

Sub jailor Bashishtha Rai said: “We will start a art of living course for the jail inmates from Tuesday. ”