CONTRUCTION OF NEW IMPRISONMENT BUILDINGS IN 22 DISTRICTS IN BIHAR

CONTRUCTION OF NEW IMPRISONMENT BUILDINGS IN 22 DISTRICTS IN BIHAR

14-AUG-ENG 8

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA---------------------------A big step has been taken towards strengthening prison facilities in Bihar. The construction of a special jail for foreign prisoners in Buxar district has been approved, which will have arrangements for keeping male and female foreign prisoners. Rs 5.58 crore will be spent on this project. Along with this, the construction of new buildings, barracks, superintendent residences, warder barracks, boundary walls, toilets and bathrooms is going on rapidly in central jails and sub-jails in 22 districts of Bihar. Secretary of the Building Construction Department Kumar Ravi has reviewed these projects and given strict instructions to the engineers to complete the work on time.

The special jail to be built outside the Central Jail in Buxar will be a dedicated facility for foreign prisoners. This jail will be in accordance with international standards and special attention will be paid to the security and facilities of foreign prisoners. Apart from this, new barracks with a capacity of 198-198 prisoners are being built in Darbhanga Divisional Jail, Benipur Sub Jail, Buxar, Motihari and Kaimur. Construction of warder barracks is also in progress in Bagaha. These projects will reduce overcrowding in jails and provide better facilities to the prisoners.

Prison facilities are being expanded in 22 districts of Bihar (Ara, Aurangabad, Bettiah, Banka, Bhabua, Bhagalpur, Buxar, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Gaya, Madhepura, Lakhisarai, Kishanganj, Madhubani, Motihari, Nawada, Purnia, Saharsa, Shivhar, Siwan and Supaul). The Secretary of the Building Construction Department has expressed displeasure over the delay and has informed about blacklisting four contractors. He has directed the officials to complete all the projects on priority basis within the time limit.

This initiative is being considered an important step towards prison reform in Bihar. The special jail in Buxar will not only provide a safe and standard facility for foreign prisoners but the new buildings being constructed in other districts of Bihar will reduce overcrowding and chaos in the jails. This will also promote rehabilitation and reformative programs for prisoners. This effort of the government is important in the direction of making the prison system of Bihar modern and humane.