Scheme to provide financial assistance to poor prisoners

November 3, 2023

The government is pushing for Centrally-funded scheme to provide financial support to poor prisoners who are forced to remain in jail due to inability to pay the fine imposed on them or cannot secure bail due to financial constraints.
The home ministry has asked all the state and UT prison departments to direct its concerned officers to activate the scheme on an urgent basis.
States and union territories were earlier advised through the guidelines to constitute an ‘empowered committee’ in each district, which will assess the requirement of financial support in each case for securing bail or for payment of fine, etc.
Based on the decision taken, the district collector or district magistrate will take necessary action to provide assistance to the prisoner.