Jail Reform Act will be implemented in MP, notification issued

Bhopal: The Prison Reform Act will be implemented in Madhya Pradesh from January 1, 2025. A notification has been issued by the government regarding this. Everything will change after its implementation. From the name of the jail to the ‘designation’ of the officers will change. The Correctional Services and Prison Bill 2024 has already been introduced in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

DIG of Jail Department Sanjay Pandey said that the notification has been issued by the state government. Under this, the Jail Reform Act, which will now come into force from October 2, will come into force from January 1, 2025. The Madhya Pradesh government will change the names of the jails to ‘Prison and Correctional Institution’. Till now it was identified as Central Jail, District Jail, Sub Jail and Open Jail. Now it will be changed and the jail will be identified by the name of Central Prison and Correctional Institution, District Prison and Correctional Institution, Sub Prison and Correctional Institution and Open Prison and Correctional Institution.

According to Jail DIG Mansaram Patel, the Jail Act is being changed after a long time. The Madhya Pradesh Correctional Services and Prisoners Bill 2024 has been prepared on the lines of the Central Government’s Model Prison Act 2023. Now it will be implemented from January 1, 2025. According to jail officials, after the implementation of the new law, the name of their post will also change. Those who are currently known as jail officers will be known as Correctional Services Officers. The government is going to make this important change from January 1.

According to jail officials, more than 50,000 prisoners are imprisoned in 132 districts in Madhya Pradesh. According to officials, currently the districts have a capacity of 35,000 prisoners but most of the jails have more prisoners than the capacity. Due to this, there is a proposal to build new jails in many districts of Madhya Pradesh including Ratlam, Mandsaur, Bhind, Sagar, Chhatarpur, Damoh, Betul. Along with this, the government is also continuously building new open jails.