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Towards improving prisoners' literacy

Staff Reporter

State Resource Centre launches campaign for inmates of Special Jail

BHUBANESWAR: The State Resource Centre launched a literacy campaign for inmates of Special Jail at Jharapada here on Friday.

The campaign that is expected to be continued for the next five or six months would cover as many as 61 undertrials and convicts, including 10 female prisoners.

As per the strategy, literate prisoners have been entrusted with the task of supervising jail inmates arranged in four groups and make them literate. They are advised to try to concentrate on studies at least four hours daily.

At the launching ceremony, noted novelist Prativa Ray exhorted the inmates to grab the opportunity and reform themselves through education. "It has come as a blessing for you. Nobody is a criminal by birth. Some momentary madness must have pushed you to commit crimes. Once you become literate, life will definitely take a positive turn," Ms. Ray said.

The Special Jail has some 700 inmates. "Many inmates are qualified and I hope they can take a lead to make the campaign a success," jail Superintendent Prasant Kumar Das said. While a girl lodged in the jail in connection with a robbery case came forward to help her fellow inmates, three male volunteers would guide other inmates to pursue education.

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