Telangana prisons dept planning to open petrol pumps

Telangana Prisons Department is planning to open 20 petrol pumps in different parts of the State for providing employment to the prisoners, who were released, and also for contributing to the prisons' development fund. Already the department has been running 18 petrol pumps. Similarly, the department in order to provide employing for about 400 prisoners, who will be released in the next six months, have taken a few lands for lease for setting up petrol pumps. The department entered into agreement with petroleum companies for the purpose.

According to the Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services V K Singh, Telangana prisons had reached the milestone. It set a target five years ago to achieve all-round development. It has set a targe for 15 years to come. The Prisons Department in the State is 15 years ahead of its counterparts in the country, he said.

Out of 49 jails in the State, Singh said, a total of 17 were closed temporarily because there were no prisoners. It was the result of the reformation and rehabilitation programmes launched by the Prisons Department.

These closed prisons can be used as shelters for the beggars, destitute and orphans. "We have sent a proposal to the State government for the extension of the Ananda Ashrams to other districts," he added.

Singh said the department decided to constitute a housing cooperative society for the staff at Warangal and Hyderabad, so that they would not remain homeless after retirement.

As the State government was providing two-bedroom houses to the poor, the department would make available plots to middle-class and lower middle-class people in gated community at very affordable prices.

The housing activity would be in all the districts of the State and it would provide a massive employment to the prisoners who were released from jails, he said.