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Crime
Jharkhand approves evening work program for inmates to earn outside jail
✍️ India Today
🗓 30 Aug 2026, 04:18 PM
👁 3
The Jharkhand government has announced a scheme allowing prisoners to work outside the jail premises during the day and return by evening.
Jharkhand's state administration unveiled a new policy permitting convicted individuals to leave the prison facility for daytime employment and report back before nightfall. The decision was disclosed by the Home Department in a press briefing held earlier this week.
The scheme targets low‑risk inmates who have completed a minimum portion of their sentence and are deemed fit for supervised work. Under the arrangement, prisoners will be assigned to government‑run projects or private enterprises that require manual labour, with strict monitoring by prison officials and local police.
Officials say the initiative aims to reduce idleness among inmates, provide them with skill‑building opportunities, and generate modest earnings that can be used for family support or restitution. Critics, however, have raised concerns about security lapses and the potential for exploitation, urging the authorities to implement robust safeguards before full rollout.
The scheme targets low‑risk inmates who have completed a minimum portion of their sentence and are deemed fit for supervised work. Under the arrangement, prisoners will be assigned to government‑run projects or private enterprises that require manual labour, with strict monitoring by prison officials and local police.
Officials say the initiative aims to reduce idleness among inmates, provide them with skill‑building opportunities, and generate modest earnings that can be used for family support or restitution. Critics, however, have raised concerns about security lapses and the potential for exploitation, urging the authorities to implement robust safeguards before full rollout.