Lok Sabha Question No. 253 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Overcrowding of Jails
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: ANOOP MISHRA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.†*253 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 TH  MARCH, 2016/PHALGUNA 25, 1937 (SAKA)

OVERCROWDING OF JAILS

†*253. SHRI ANOOP MISHRA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  number  of  jails  in  the  country  are  overcrowded  and  the inmates are living in a pitiable condition and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  Government  provides  any  assistance  for  modernization, decongestion  and  completion  of  various  projects  relating  to  jails  in  the country and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the total funds granted, released and utilized in this regard during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(d) the names of States which have not been able to utilize all the funds along with the reasons therefor, State-wise; and

(e) the other measures taken by the Government for modernization of jails and construction of new jails?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT IN REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*253 FOR 15.03.2016.

(a): As per data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at the end of 2014, there were 4,18,536 inmates in the jails of the country against the capacity of 3,56,561 inmates and the rate of overcrowding is 117.4%. This rate was 118.4% in 2013.

(b) to (d): 'Prisons' is a  State  subject under  List  II  of  the  Seventh Schedule  to  the  Constitution  and,  therefore,  prison  administration  is primarily  the  responsibility  of  the  State  Governments.  However,  the Government  of  India  has  supported  the  States  for  prison  modernization during  2002  to  2009  under  the  scheme  of  Modernization  of  Prisons. Details  of  fund  released  to  the  States  and  unspent  balance  with  them under the scheme of Modernization of Prisons are given in the Annexure-I. The  five  States  namely  Assam,  Chhattisgarh,  Maharashtra,  Sikkim  and Uttar Pradesh were unable to utilise funds to the tune of Rs. 12.20 crore for various reasons like non acquisition of land, unsuitability of land and non availability of matching share etc.

(e) The funds under the Thirteenth Finance Commission have also been provided to eight States during 2011-2015 for upgradation of prisons, the details are given in the Annexure-II.

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## PAGE 1 OF 1 OF ANNEXURE-I

## Annexure referred to in parts (b) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *253 for answer on 15.3.2016

| S.No.   | Name of State    |   Central funds released during 2002-2009 (In Rs. Crore) |   Unspent Balance with States (In Rs. Crore) |
|---------|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh   |                                                    81.25 |                                         0    |
| 2       | Assam            |                                                    29.37 |                                         0.96 |
| 3       | Bihar            |                                                   134.57 |                                         0    |
| 4       | Chhattisgarh     |                                                    28.02 |                                         3.79 |
| 5       | Goa              |                                                    10.19 |                                         0    |
| 6       | Gujarat          |                                                    49.43 |                                         0    |
| 7       | Haryana          |                                                    77.07 |                                         0    |
| 8       | Himachal Pradesh |                                                    15.14 |                                         0    |
| 9       | Jammu & Kashmir  |                                                    21.69 |                                         0    |
| 10      | Jharkhand        |                                                    31.69 |                                         0    |
| 11      | Karnataka        |                                                    40.35 |                                         0    |
| 12      | Kerala           |                                                    24.55 |                                         0    |
| 13      | Madhya Pradesh   |                                                   116.36 |                                         0    |
| 14      | Maharashtra      |                                                    96.85 |                                         6    |
| 15      | Manipur          |                                                    11.79 |                                         0    |
| 16      | Meghalaya        |                                                    12.27 |                                         0    |
| 17      | Mizoram          |                                                    13.3  |                                         0    |
| 18      | Nagaland         |                                                    11.85 |                                         0    |
| 19      | Odisha           |                                                    80.54 |                                         0    |
| 20      | Punjab           |                                                    55.86 |                                         0    |
| 21      | Rajasthan        |                                                    48.83 |                                         0    |
| 22      | Sikkim           |                                                    13.64 |                                         1.25 |
| 23      | Tamil Nadu       |                                                    71.5  |                                         0    |
| 24      | Tripura          |                                                    20.99 |                                         0    |
| 25      | Uttar Pradesh    |                                                   173.44 |                                         0.2  |
| 26      | Uttaranchal      |                                                    22.74 |                                         0    |
| 27      | West Bengal      |                                                    53.94 |                                         0    |
| Total   | Total            |                                                  1347.17 |                                        12.2  |

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## PAGE 1 OF 1 OF ANNEXURE-II

## Annexure referred to in part (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *253 for

## answer on 15.3.2016

| S.No.   | Name of State     |   Fund allocation (In Rs. Crore) during 2011-15 |
|---------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    |                                              90 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh |                                              10 |
| 3       | Chhattisgarh      |                                             150 |
| 4       | Kerala            |                                             154 |
| 5       | Maharashtra       |                                              60 |
| 6       | Mizoram           |                                              30 |
| 7       | Odisha            |                                             100 |
| 8       | Tripura           |                                              15 |
|         | Total             |                                             609 |

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