Bhubaneswar, Oct. 2: The first ever canteen for prisoners was inaugurated today on the Jharapada special jail premises by director-general of police (prisons) B.K. Sharma.

Police said this was the first-ever canteen in 91 prisons of the state.

The canteen will sell dry food, aerated drinks, water bottles and fried snacks such as samosas to the inmates. Besides, products of the state-run Odisha State Co-operative Milk Producers' Federation (Omfed) will also be available in the canteen, to remain open between 10am and 6pm.

Jail superintendent R.N. Swain said the canteen had been set up to supplement the inmates' food requirements. 'They will be provided with coupons in exchange of money to buy food from the canteen,' said Swain.

Several gangsters such as Raja Acharya, S.K. Hyder and Bikram Mallick are lodged in the jail. Besides, many Ponzi case accused, including BJD's Mayurbhanj MP Rama Chandra Hansda, are also lodged there.

At present, around 700 prisoners, including undertrials, are lodged in the jail.

Jail sources said that around 80 prisoners, engaged in the kitchen, blanket unit, cleaning unit and official work, were paid a daily remuneration of Rs 40. 'The prisoners' relatives can also deposit small amounts of money through the Prisoner's Cash Register, and the inmates can spend it to buy stuff from the canteen,' said an official.

Jail officials said that with the canteen, the practice of inmates' relatives sending them dry food would be stopped. It is often alleged that narcotic substances are being sent to the inmates in dry food packets. The police on June 4 conducted raids on the jail and seized huge amounts of narcotic substances.

In July, the special jail had been brought under CCTV surveillance with installation of as many as 64 closed-circuit cameras at the medical unit, kitchen, entrance point, meeting hall, free space and boundary wall.