The recent Kerala government decision that revised the wages paid to prison inmates engaged in work across prisons in the State has drawn criticism from various quarters.
The government had on January 9 revised the wages of prison inmates after a gap of seven years. The move hikes daily earnings across skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled categories.
As per the revised structure, wages for skilled work have been increased to ₹620 per day, while semi-skilled and unskilled categories have been raised to ₹560 and ₹530 respectively. Prior to the revision, the minimum daily wage in prisons stood at ₹63 and the maximum at ₹168.
The decision has drawn flak, particularly since it comes in the run-up to the Assembly elections. Critics have also highlighted the disparity of wages provided to workers in other sectors.
However, officials of the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services maintain that this is the first revision since 2018, despite provisions in the Model Prison Manual of 2016 mandating wage revision every three years.
The decision also comes on the basis of recommendations made in 2024 by the Centre for Research and Planning of the Supreme Court, which urged states to rationalise inmate wages in line with higher wage structures that are followed by the Prison departments in states including Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan.
At present, around 4,200 inmates, including those sentenced to rigorous imprisonment and those who have voluntarily opted to work, are eligible for the revised wages.
The earnings are distributed across multiple heads. Portions of the wage are allocated towards the upkeep of inmates’ families, daily prison-related expenses such as canteen purchases and telephone facilities, rehabilitation measures, and contributions to the Victim Compensation Fund under court supervision, an official pointed out.
While 25% of an inmate’s wages are credited to the prison canteen account, 50% is transferred to their family. In addition, one-third of the income earned by convicted prisoners through work is mandatorily contributed to the Victim Compensation Fund.
The State government had amended the Kerala Victim Compensation Scheme in 2021 in line with Supreme Court directives to ensure compensation for survivors of sexual assault and lynching. The decision was made with a focus on rehabilitation support for victims and their dependents. However, the move was kept on hold considering the low-income levels of prisoners in the State.
Published – January 22, 2026 09:58 am IST
