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Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, July 16
Now bakery and handloom products, arts and crafts items and readymade collection ranging from Himachali caps, shawls, stolls, kurta-pyjamas, shirts, etc manufactured in jails are now available at a store that is open in the high court.
Chief Justice of the High Court Justice V Ramasubramanian has inaugurated the Himkaara store on the premises of the court. Judges of the High Court, Registrar General, Advocate General and members of the High Court Bar Association were present. Justice Ramasubramanian became the first customer by buying a jacket for himself.
Now, the total number of stores selling products manufactured by prisoners and run by them has increased to eight.
The idea behind such stores is creating opportunities of livelihood for prisoners. The prices are nominal and less than the market price as the profit margin is very less, says Director General (Prisons and Correctional Services) Somesh Goyal.
Earlier, these stores were named as “Pehal stores” as the Prisons Department made a humble beginning to rehabilitate the inmates by opening the first store at Kaithu jail in August 2016 and later with the registration of Himkaara trademark, the name was change to Himkaara stores signifying Him – Himachal and Kaara – Kaaravas, he adds.
Now, four stores have come up in Shimla (High Court, District Court, State Secretariat and Kaithu jail) besides one each in Nahan, Dharamsala, Mandi and Hamirpur while two more outlets are coming up in Chamba and Una.
With various initiatives undertaken by the department like setting up manufacturing (handloom and wooden furniture), tailoring and bakery units, book café run by inmates and lunch at Kaithu jail, about 700 convicts lodged in 14 jails are earning wages.
In 2018-19, the turnover of the products was Rs 3.6 crore and Rs 1.2 crore was paid as wages. The target for the current year has been fixed at Rs 5 crore.
Turnover target Rs 5 cr
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