Officials at the prison-products review meeting in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology and e-Governance Minister Priyank Kharge has directed officials to expand production, improve packaging and build stable markets for goods made by prisoners.
Chairing the fifth meeting of the Karnataka Prison Development Board, Kharge said products made in state prisons should be introduced to consumers with attractive packaging and an effective sales strategy. He asked officials to prepare a plan to raise the board’s income and make it self-reliant.
The meeting discussed art-therapy programmes in prisons, collaboration with voluntary organisations for inmates’ mental transformation and rehabilitation, establishment of de-addiction centres and stronger sales systems for prison-made products.
Officials also reviewed prison infrastructure, modern vocational training for inmates and the expansion of production and sales activities across prisons. Kharge said skill development and rehabilitation should be supported by a sustainable market for the products.
The minister expressed displeasure that heads of departments including health, animal husbandry, agriculture, horticulture and industries had skipped the meeting and sent junior officers. He asked department heads to attend such meetings personally and take responsibility for decisions.
Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Rajender Kumar Kataria, Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem, Director General of Police (Prisons) Alok Kumar and Home Secretary Sharatchandra were among the officials present.
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