A chance to mend: The ‘Prison Bazaar’ outside the main entrance of the
Coimbatore Central Prison.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
Tamil Nadu has topped the country in earning income from prison product sales. The State has reported the highest gross value of sale proceeds, to the tune of ₹67.08 crore, thanks to the trained workforce of inmates.
According to official sources, the continuing programme for training prisoners in vocational trades has resulted in the production of articles with substantial market value. While Tamil Nadu led the country in profitable prison business, other States closely following were Telangana and Kerala with ₹55.71 crore and ₹24.44 crore respectively in 2023.
Going by National Crime Records Bureau data, the value of goods produced per inmate was the highest in Telangana, with ₹95,187, followed by Tamil Nadu (₹33,984), and Chandigarh (₹32,325). Prisoners engaged in labour are paid a nominal wage based on their skills. Tamil Nadu pays ₹300 for skilled workers and ₹270 for semi-skilled workers per day.
Rehabilitation
As part of the reformation and rehabilitation programmes of the State government, the prison industry was equipped with infrastructure to make textile, leather, aluminium, wax and paper products. The facility has been established at eight Central Prisons, one Special Prison for Women, and one Borstal School.
Cotton dhotis and shirts, made by Central Prison inmates, displayed at the ‘Prison Bazzar’ in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit:
FILE PHOTO
Even as most of the prison products are purchased by government departments, the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services set up ‘Prison Bazaars’ in all Central Prison complexes to sell their in-house products to members of the public at nominal prices.
The products, such as ready-made garments, leather shoes, rain coats, bakery items, and soaps, are sold under the brand name of ‘Freedom’; 20% of the profit is credited to the account of the prisoner who worked to make the product.
Fruitful PATTAM
The Personality Attitude Transformation Therapeutic Assistance Management (PATTAM) programme, introduced to reduce recidivism and facilitate reintegration of petty, first-time offenders (aged 18-24) into society as productive and responsible citizens has yielded the desired results. Of the total 9,370 young offenders who had attended the programme in prisons from August 2018 to December 2023, only 18 were re-arrested. The rate of recidivism was only 0.2%.
The NCRB has also reported that schools are functioning, with qualified teachers, in all the Central Prisons, Special Prison for Women, and district jail and the Borstal School in Pudukkottai.
Prisoners are allowed to pursue degrees/diplomas offered by the Tamil Nadu Open University and write exams at government cost. In 2023, 8,844 prisoners studied various courses in prisons. A sum of ₹2.08 crore was spent on upgrading libraries in all prisons.
Videoconferencing
Tamil Nadu also tops in videoconferencing in prisons. Of the 1,332 prisons in the country, 1,156 have been equipped with the facility. The State has 126 prisons equipped with videoconferencing, followed by Madhya Pradesh (123), Rajasthan (92), Odisha (84), and Andhra Pradesh (80).
Published – October 18, 2025 12:22 am IST
