Meghalaya govt installs e-prison system in Shillong jail

As part of its initiative to modernise correctional homes in the state, the Meghalaya government today installed a software at Shillong district jail to integrate information about its inmates.

The software, developed by the Union government, aims to keep a tab on prisoners of all states.

The e-prisons software will digitize the jail records and ensure transparency and accountability in the system, Home Minister James K Sangma said after launching the software here.

"This humble beginning is a step towards digitization and modernization of prisons. It will be implemented in the correctional facilities across the state," he said.

The prisons should function as reformation centres, where inmates get skill development trainings, Sangma asserted.

"The main emphasis of prisons should be the rehabilitation of its inmates," the home minister insisted, adding that a central jail should be set up in the state to separate convicted criminals from undertrials.

The state government is committed to the modernization of jails and efforts are on to install facilities for video conferencing in every prison, Sangma said.

"Once the video conferencing system is installed, the prisoners can attend trials from the jail. The prisoners will also be entitled to free legal aid services," he explained.

Director General of Prisons R P Agarwal, who was present at the district jail on the occasion, said, the system will compile vital information about prisoners, jail officials and others involved with the criminal justice system.

"It will facilitate and manage visits, jail administration and grievance redressals," he added.