Records of prisons in Punjab to be computerised

The modalities would be worked out in this regard and required infrastructure would be provided, the minister, who visited Tihar jail, said in a statement here.

The computerised records would contain fingerprints of all prisoners, date of release, remissions, parole and good conduct.

The minister said smart cards would be introduced in canteens of prisons to assist the prisoners in various monetary transactions with the jail canteens, thus replacing the old coupon system.

In order to monitor and control drug menace in jails, state-level and district-level committees have been constituted at the level of Principal Secretary (Home) and District Magistrates, he said.

The District Magistrate would head the district-level committees with District Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police Jails, Civil Surgeon of the district concerned and the doctor concerned of the jail as members.

Phillaur said sniffer dogs would be provided in Punjab jails to detect narcotics and other objectionable material in prisons.

X-ray machines are being installed for detection of narcotics as a pilot project at Central Jails in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Kapurthala, he said.

The superintendents of jails have also been directed to conduct surprise checks in jails, he added.