The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to State governments to constitute empowered committees and finalise the names of underprivileged inmates who are languishing in jails as they are unable to pay fines and secure release due to financial hardship.
The Ministry said the Union government would reimburse fine of up to ₹40,000 for each undertrial and ₹25,000 each for convicts who do not have the means to pay.
The scheme to decongest prisons was announced in the Union Budget. Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote to all Chief Ministers in May to implement the scheme. The detailed guidelines which include constituting an empowered committee in each district was shared with the States in August.
On October 23, the MHA sent a reminder to States: “It is expected that the State/union territory authorities would have initiated necessary action for constituting the empowered committee as envisioned in the guidelines and would have identified eligible prisoners to whom the benefit of this scheme can be extended.”
It added that during recent meetings with the heads of prisons of all States, the MHA requested them to share the details of action taken in this regard, adding that “a response is awaited in the matter.”
“Since this is a significant scheme of the Government of India which can have far-reaching effects on the life of poor prisoners who are not able to secure their release from prisons on bail or due to non-payment of fine, the State authorities may therefore issue necessary directions to its officers concerned for activating the scheme on urgent basis and provide a confirmation to the MHA in this regard,” the letter to States said.
The scheme is not available for persons accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act, UAPA, NDPS and other serious offences.
