HC issues directives for publicity of schemes for welfare of prisoners, families

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued a series of directives to enhance awareness and publicity of existing schemes aimed at the welfare of prisoners and their families.

In response to the pressing need to improve awareness, the court directed the Delhi Government’s Joint Committee to draft recommendations regarding a 2014 scheme focused on the financial support, education, and welfare of children with incarcerated parents.

This scheme, titled “Scheme for Financial Sustenance, Education and Welfare of Children of Incarcerated Parents, 2014,” was established by the Delhi Government’s Department of Women and Child Development.

The division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula emphasized the importance of ensuring that convicts, under trials, and their dependents are informed about and can access benefits designed for their welfare to aid their rehabilitation and social reintegration.

The court mandated that, “Once formulated, these recommendations must be acted upon and implemented within four weeks.” Furthermore, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was directed to expand the scope of campaigns aimed at the welfare of family members of jail inmates to reach the maximum number of prisoners and under trials.

The court also instructed prison authorities to prominently display details of welfare initiatives for families of convicts and under trials through various mediums such as physical notice boards, newsletters, and official websites. They emphasised the need for a system to ensure that this information is communicated to relatives and visitors during their prison visits.

Notably, the court suggested that prison authorities leverage the expertise of prison staff and consider forming volunteer groups consisting of convicts and under trials. Such groups can play a pivotal role in helping fellow inmates access the benefits of available schemes.

To improve the efficacy of the welfare schemes and campaigns, the court urged prison authorities to establish a feedback mechanism.

This mechanism would allow convicts, under trials, and their families to provide insights on the benefits and challenges of the schemes, facilitating refinement and improvement over time. The feedback should be shared with the relevant authorities.

The Delhi Government, Union Government, and prison authorities were directed to explore the feasibility of developing a mobile application or dedicated web portal to provide comprehensive information on welfare schemes, step-by-step application procedures, and digital counselling or assistance for accessing these benefits.

In response to the HCs directive, a Delhi government official stated, “We are fully committed to ensuring that the welfare schemes designed for prisoners and their families reach those who need them the most. We will actively collaborate with all relevant authorities to implement these directives effectively.”

In conclusion, the bench closed the suo motu proceedings initiated in 2015 concerning the well-being of the family members of under trial prisoners and convicts.