New scheme for children of prisoners

In a unique effort towards the helpless, incarcerated prisoners, the department of women and child development is all set to extend financial assistance to their children in order to meet their basic requirements. As per the approved plan, the first child of the prisoner would get Rs 3,000 per month; second 2,000 per month while the third and onwards would get 1,500 per month till the age of maturity or release of the prisoner.

‘The new scheme has been approved by the Finance Department for providing financial assistance to the children of incarcerate prisoners,’ said Saumya Gupta, director Women and Child Development. 

‘The amount of money would be provided for each child of incarcerated prisoner on monthly basis till he or she attains the age of 18 years or till his/her parents are released from incarceration, whichever is earlier. The amount of financial assistance would be credited to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries,’ she added.

‘We don’t have the data of beneficiaries. If the plan is approved, the concerned department would invite applications from illegible persons,’ said spokesperson of Delhi government. 

As per the records of the prison department of Delhi, 14,204 prisoners were lodged in the only prison of Delhi -Tihar Jail on 31 March, 2014 out of whom 644 were females. 

Among these prisoners over 3,000 males and 148 females are convicts, 10,353 males and 496 females are under-trials. According to the data, 52.53 percent males and 81.2 percent female inmates in Tihar are married. 

A total of 71.2 percent males and 79.4 percent females are from Delhi rest is either foreigner or from other states.

Tihar, known as one of the most high security jails in the country, has a maximum of 7,303 males in the age group of 21-30 years while maximum females, 327, belong to 30-50 years of age group. 

The number of males and females in 50-65 years age group is 703 and 106 respectively while the number for 18-21 years of age group is 938 and 11 respectively. Senior citizens above the age of 65 years are 131 males and 30 females. The jail has a capacity of 5,850 male 400 female only but as on 31 March this year 13,565 male and 644 female prisoners were lodged there.