Home Minister for new physical setup in jail to transform into reformatory

Kathmandu - Minister for Home Ram Bahadur Thapa has said that the prisons cannot be shifted into reform homes without developing new physical infrastructures. At a discussion at the meeting of State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representative (HoR) today, the Home Minister argued that education and psychological counseling to the jailbirds to bring about positive changes in their mindsets was essential since they were jailed for their criminal deeds.

“For the management of jailbirds and ensuring change in their mindsets, it is required to link the jailbirds with labour. Jailbirds also can make their contributions to the nation’s prosperity,” Minister Thapa added. Commenting on the existing legal provisions on prison house and the exploitation by leader and guard, he said, “There is a severe crime even inside the jail.” Prior to this, the Committee members suggested that the government needs to reduce the prisoners’ pressure for fear of COVID-19 and ensure humanitarian treatment to them.

The lawmakers laid emphasis on comprehensive reforms in the prison houses adding that those involved in heinous crimes were torturing others within the jails, while urging to stop this trend. After the discussions, the Committee has suggested the government to formulate laws making provisions to send the jailbirds in reform houses and open jail, deploy them for social and community services for their socialization process and engage them in income generating tasks.