Abani Mohan Joardar, minister for Correctional Home Administration has recently launched Project Sandeepan, a Computer-Based Fundamental Literacy (CBFL) Programme for the prisoners in association with Tata Consultancy services (TCS). Arun Kumar Gupta, DG&IG Correctional Services along with senior officials of TCS were present at the function. Currently there are 9,223 computer illiterate prisoners in various correctional homes throughout the state which is nearly 43 per cent of the total population of the prisoners.
It was felt that they should learn some basic education skills to get rehabilitated in society. Computers and accessories required for running CBFL software is being allotted to all correctional homes. The project aims at achieving a 100 per cent literate population in the correctional homes. Abani Mohan Joardar said that the programme had evoked great response among the inmates. "The vocational courses given to the prisoners were not enough and some modern education was required for their rehabilitation. The project has been designed in such a way that it would benefit all the prisoners," said the minister.