The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Jail Act to be amended

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 23, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Jail Act to be amended

Special Correspondent

To relax parole conditions for prisoners

Kodiyeri opens study centre for prisoners
Will help prisoners to earn livelihood on leaving jail

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government will revise the Jail Act to relax parole conditions for prisoners, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said on Monday.

He was speaking after inaugurating a study-cum-knowledge centre set up by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the Confederation of NGOs of Rural India (CNRI), and the P.N. Panikker Vijnan Vikas Kendra at the Central Jail, Poojappura, here.

Mr. Balakrishnan said the current Jail Act was often an impediment to granting parole to prisoners.

He said the government was committed to relaxing parole conditions as well as the period of incarceration of those undergoing life imprisonment.

Mr. Balakrishnan expressed hope that the study centre would contribute to the total computer literacy campaign in the State. He said it was aimed at providing a livelihood opportunity to prisoners leaving jail.

Earlier, he was accorded a reception by the jail inmates.

IGNOU Vice-Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai; N. Balagopal, vice-chairman of the P.N. Panikker Vijnan Vikas Kendra; G. Baburaj, Inspector-General, Jails; K.P. Somarajan Additional Director-General of Police, Jails; G. Karthikeyan, Deputy Leader of the Opposition; L.V. Saptarishi, co-chairman, CNRI; A. Badaruddin, Superintendent, Central Jail; the former Vigilance Tribunal Cherunniyoor Sasidharan Nair; and Annamma George, secretary, Karunya Counselling Centre, were present.

The study-cum-knowledge centre utilises online education tools to improve academic performance and develop vocational skills of the prisoners.

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