In a move aimed at empowering female inmates and giving them skills so that they can work after completing their respective sentences, Pune’s Yerwada Jail, the authorities are teaching them the production of ignition switches, fuel tank caps and other components of two-wheeler scooters.
Nitin Kshirsagar, senior jailor, Yerawada Central Jail, said women inmates would manufacture two-wheeler parts for Minda Corporation Limited.
“Our male inmates are already making wiring harnesses for Boleros (in collaboration with Minda SAI and Mahindra and Mahindra),” added Kshirsagar.
The deputy manager, human resources, Minda Corporation, Amol Pagre said the initiative was the part of group’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
“We will launch training for 15 woman inmates on June 1, and the formal inauguration of the manufacturing will take place in June second week. We plan to scale up the number of women in the venture to 50,” Amol Pagare said.
Minda Corporation has leading manufacturers such as Bajaj, TVS, Mahindra and Royal Enfield as its customers.
“Though the work will be order-based, we expect that the production by inmates will touch up to 2,000 units per day. The jail will be paid Rs250 per inmate per day,” Pagre noted, adding that a permanent employee of the company will be deputed to oversee production in the prison.
“The same job done outside may cost us around Rs 350 (per worker per day). Here, we have to account for transportation costs (of raw material and finished goods),” said Pagare.
The Yerwada Jail has 279 inmates including those whose trial is on and rest are convicts. The problem is that the cell in jail can only accommodate 126 inmates, but currently, it houses 279.
The scenario is male inmates is no better as the jail can accommodate 2,323 inmates whereas it has 5,049 inmates lodged as of now.
Article Source: India Times