Vellore (PTI): After manufacturing bricks, prisoners in Tamil Nadu would soon start baking breads for commercial purpose.

"Efforts were on to set up baking units to prepare breads in the Central Prisons at Puzhal (Chennai), Vellore, Salem and Madurai," DIG of Central Prisons, Duraiswami said here.

Speaking on the occasion of launch of 'Hello Bricks', a brand produced by prisoners, at the Central Prison here on Friday, he said the scheme first introduced in Madurai prison had made 'good progress'.

He said a total of 24 prisoners -- eight per shift -- are involved in production of bricks and the district administration is supplying the raw materials.

For every finished brick, the prisoners would get 20 paise and the bricks would be handed over to the district administration for sale.

He said scanners would be installed in all the prisons to prevent smuggling of cellphones, ganja etc by the visitors.