The country's largest Tihar Jail has set up its own blanket making unit in the prison complex, adding to its manufacturing activities under brand 'TJ'. "The aim of establishing this unit is to direct prisoners' attention towards creativity so that they spend their time in positive manner. At the same time they would also earn wages," said Sunil Gupta, Tihar Jail spokesperson.
Director General (Prisons) Vimla Mehra inaugurated the unit at Central Jail number 8 and 9 on Wednesday, which has the capacity to produce 3,000 blankets per month and provide employment to 80 inmates. The blankets produced would be used by jail administration for the inmates and staff and the surplus production would be sold to the other government departments and public.
"The jail has around 13,000 inmates, and every prisoner is entitled for four blankets a year. Also jail staff are also provided blankets. So our total demand would be of around 70,000 blankets. Also, every year we have to replenish 20 per cent of them, so jail itself would be the biggest consumer," he said.
Once the prison's needs are fulfilled, then it would provide to other departments like Delhi Police, Social Welfare department, hospitals and for general public, Gupta said. The Asia's largest jail with an annual turnover of Rs 32 crore aims to increase it to Rs 35 crore this fiscal. The factory has carpentry, tailoring, chemical, handmade paper, commercial art and bakery units.
Some of the products manufactured include bread, biscuits, namkeen, rope, carpets, men, women and kids wear, masks, dusters, handkerchiefs, sacks, school and office use furnitures, wooden accessories, mustard oil, paintings, office and hospital stationaries, file covers, paper sheets, envelopes and phenyl. Recently, Tihar Jail has launched its own FM Radio station and started Charkha unit in the complex.
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