Delhi LG Approves Panels To Implement Centre’s Scheme for Financial Help to Poor Prisoners

New Delhi: Lt Governor VK Saxena has approved the constitution of an empowered committee and an oversight committee for the implementation of a year-old central scheme that offers "financial assistance to poor prisoners", Raj Niwas officials said on Friday.

The scheme, to be implemented according to the guidelines and the standard operating procedures issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is likely to benefit 162 prisoners in various Delhi jails who are unable to be released due to financial constraints, they added.

The approximate amount required to assist these prisoners (161 undertrial and one convict) has been calculated at Rs 23.79 lakh by the Prisons department.

The scheme will not only benefit the poor inmates but also resolve the problem of overcrowding in jails, the officials said.

"The Lt Governor took note that implementation of the scheme has been delayed despite the Union home minister writing to the Delhi chief minister in May last year to take advantage of the scheme for which the entire fund will be provided by the Centre. Later, in June, the Union home secretary had also written to the Delhi government to take necessary action for the scheme's implementation," they said.

Saxena noticed the scheme was part of the 2023-24 Union Budget and that there is a need for its expeditious implementation, they added.

However, the Delhi government said the file came to its home department on February 12 and left office on February 22.

The home department has proposed that the empowered committee, according to the guidelines, include the district collector or magistrate, district legal services authority secretary, deputy commissioner of police, superintendent or deputy superintendent of the prison concerned, judge in charge of the prison concerned and a nominee of the district judge.

The oversight committee will have the principal secretary (home or jail), secretary (law), secretary (State Legal Services Authority), deputy inspector general or inspector general (prison), high court registrar general and the special commissioner of police.

The objectives of the scheme include providing financial assistance to those poor inmates who are primarily deprived of social ties or are less educated and belong to low-income groups, the officials said.

This step will enable them to become a part of the mainstream as a valuable citizen after release from jail, they added.