Thiruvananthapuram: The Finance Department of Kerala has allocated additional funds to the Jail Department for its expenses. With the increase in the number of prisoners and the hike in cost of food, the Finance Department issued an order to allocate an additional Rs. 2.4 crore to the Jail Department. Out of this, Rs. 2 crore is proposed to be allocated for food and Rs. 40 lakh for electricity bill. This additional allocation of fund is in addition to the budget allocation.
Rs. 27.50 crores have been earmarked in the state budget, 2024-25, for the functioning of prisons. When this amount proved insufficient to cover expenses, the Jail Head approached the government for additional funding. Subsequently, the treasury control was relaxed, and additional funds were allocated to the prison department.
There are 54 jails in the state, including Poojappura Central Jail, Viyyur Central Jail, Kannur Central Jail, and Nettukaltheri Open Jail. There are more than 8,350 prisoners in these facilities, comprising 4,393 remand prisoners, 2,909 convicted prisoners, and 950 under trial. Jail officials state that costs have increased following improvements to the jail food, which now includes a greater variety, including non-vegetarian options.
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