Tihar Jail: Empowering inmates

Convicts making shoes in a shoe unit in Tihar Jail.

A new factory has been opened in South Asia's largest prison. For eight hours a day, six days a week, inmates of Tihar Jail gather to tape long strands of insulated wire into harnesses for the Alto 800.

Govt files being made by convicts in Tihar Jail.

The plant, operated by Minda Furukawa Electric (MFE) - a joint venture between Ashok Minda Group is a public-private-partnership between the Tihar prison complex and the private auto component maker.

Wooden furniture made by convicted criminals in Tihar Jail.

The company has trained 30 inmates, and work is underway to build a much larger facility, to employ 250 prisoners on two shifts.

Convicts making mustard oil in Tihar Jail.

The project, a first for the Indian auto sector, is part of MFE's corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

Convicts working at a bakery unit in Tihar Jail.

Indian courts mandate those sentenced to rigorous imprisonment must be put to work. Therefore, a significant proportion of Tihar's 12,000 inmates are employed in the prison factories that produce school furniture, file covers for the high court here, biscuits, towels, shoes and mustard oil.

Convicted criminals working at a bakery unit in Tihar Jail.

Tihar inmates are paid Rs 99 a day for eight hours of skilled work, and Rs 70 a day for unskilled work. A quarter of these wages is deducted and directed towards a victims' relief fund.

Convicts making dresses in Tihar Jail.

Minda Furukawa pays 15 per cent more than prison wages, or Rs 113.85 a day, for skilled workers.

Tihar Jail: Empowering inmates

News of the day