All jails in Odisha will have video conferencing facilities:

All jails in Odisha will have video conferencing facilities by this year end as part of the state government's commitment to improve the criminal justice system, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

"I am glad that video conferencing facilities have been established in most of the jails with the corresponding courts for speedy trial," Patnaik said.

"By the end of current year, all the Odisha jails will have video conferencing facilities," the chief minister said asking jails to follow best practices in prison administration and adopt the good practices of other states to transform the jails of the state.

Patnaik was speaking after handing over appointment letters to 238 newly recruited warders here yesterday.

He advised the Prisons Directorate to take full measures in imparting quality training to the warders in prison administration and correctional services so that they perform their service oriented duties responsibly.

Prison management and correctional services, being important and integral part of the criminal justice system, assume great significance in reformation and rehabilitation of inmates lodged in different jails, he said.

Patnaik said there is no overcrowding in Odisha jails because of efforts made in the direction of providing legal aid to the inmates, periodical reviews made by district level judicial, civil and jail administration for under trial prisoners and biannual review by State Sentence Review Board.

"I would expect that all the guidelines and instructions on modern day jail administration are followed in letter and spirit," the chief minister said.

He said continuous endeavour is underway to improve the facilities inside jails such as construction of new wards for spacious accommodation of inmates, renovation of kitchens, drainage, lighting, provision of purified and cold drinking water, telephones and other infrastructure.