Bihar Jail Will Get ATM For Inmates

  • 27-Nov-2020
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Purnia central jail in Bihar is going to be the first of its kind in the state with the installation of an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) inside the premises to help inmates withdraw money for their daily use.

The move is aimed at preventing crowding at the jail gate by the family members and acquaintances of the inmates.

“We have written a letter to the SBI in this regard and we do hope the ATM will be installed inside the jail in a fortnight," Purnia central jail superintendent Jitendra Kumar said.

“Out of 750 inmates, 600 have their accounts in various banks and 400 have been issued ATM cards and the rest would get it soon," Kumar added.
The inmates are paid between Rs 52 to Rs 103 for 4 to 8 hours of work and the wages are deposited in their accounts. Their wages will go up further to Rs 112-Rs 156, if some of the ten proposed small and cottage industries are set up inside the jail. Recently, face masks made by the inmates were supplied to various jails of Kosi and Seemanchal regions.

As per the jail manual, an inmate is allowed to keep up to Rs 500 cash.

“Till January 2019, the wages were paid by cheques and now the money is transferred to their accounts," jail superintendent Kumar said.

“An ATM can lessen the crowd at the jail gate as most of them come here to give money to the inmates" Kumar said, adding that the ATM will definitely help jail administration in many ways.

“The inmates can use cards to purchase daily use items like soaps, hair oil, eatables against the payment they receive for doing work on the premises," Kumar said.

Purnia central jail is the largest in Bihar in terms of the strength of convicted prisoners. It has 750 convicted prisoners right now with a total 1,900 inmates including 56 females.

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