Prisoner Benefits Expanded with New Regulations

Kathmandu. Prisoners serving sentences in prison will get more facilities. The Council of Ministers has made arrangements to expand prisoner facilities by amending the Prison Regulations.< /p>

According to the new arrangement, prisoners will receive new bedsheets every year. Previously, prisoners used to get only one bedsheet in two years. According to Prison Regulations 2083, those serving sentences will be provided with new bedsheets every year, said Chomedra Neupane, Director of the Department of Prison Management, to Ratopati.< /p>

The festival allowance received by prisoners serving sentences in prison has also been increased. From the current fiscal year, prisoners will receive Rs 500 as festival allowance. The previously provided Rs 300 has been increased to Rs 500. The government will also provide health insurance facilities to prisoners from this year.< /p>

Prisoners will also receive natural human rights and the right to procreation (reproduction) in prison. According to the regulations approved by the Council of Ministers on Ashad 32, meeting facilities for husband and wife will be available in prison. The regulations have made arrangements to implement the facility of providing reproductive rights as per Section 23 of the Prison Act 2079. To provide reproductive rights, husband and wife can stay together in prison for a certain period. Director Neupane of the Department of Prison Management said that the jailer has to provide such facilities by setting up a separate room.< /p>

He said, 'The regulations have made arrangements for husband and wife to stay together, and a separate room must be set up for a certain period for procreation.'< /p>

Neupane said that old buildings and structures do not have such rooms, and new structures will be built with arrangements for reproductive rights. He said, 'New buildings have a provision to provide separate rooms for reproductive rights.'< /p>

The regulations have been amended so that physical presence is not mandatory for taking statements from prisoners and presenting them in court. According to the new regulations, prisoners can be presented in court through video conferencing.< /p>

Arrangements have been made to establish and register entrepreneurship centers in prisons. Now, businesses manufacturing stools, carpets, and handicrafts within the prison will have to be registered. Director Neupane informed that entrepreneurship centers will be established by registering such businesses in the Department of Prison Management. He said, 'Now factories can be operated by registering them in prison. Provisions have been made to collaborate with the private sector.'< /p>

Previously, there was no provision for registering skill-based work and productive enterprises in prisons. A separate leader will be arranged to oversee the registered entrepreneurship centers. The leader overseeing the entrepreneurship center will also receive remission of sentence.< /p>

Similarly, a provision has been implemented to appoint leaders to provide psychosocial counseling to prisoners. The leader will counsel and guide the prisoners to free them from stress and prevent them from becoming disturbed. The 'Psychosocial Counseling Leader' responsible for managing stress will also receive remission of sentence.< /p>

The department will sign agreements with public bodies to provide goods consumed in prison at concessional rates and set up counters within the prison. Neupane said that the new regulations have been issued to provide facilities through counters or shops within the prison for goods and services. Similarly, arrangements have been made to pay the amount received by prisoners as 'sida' (allowance) into an account in the prisoner's name. Director Neupane said, 'The system of providing money through the prisoner's account will be gradually implemented.'< /p>

The regulations have further systematized the concept of open prisons. The concept of taking prisoners who have served two-thirds of their sentence outside the jail to work has been clarified by the regulations. The new regulations mention that prisoners can be employed in federal and provincial projects under the concept of open prisons.< /p>

The new regulations approved by the Council of Ministers have detailed the internal administration within the prison. The regulations have clarified the qualifications and responsibilities for the selection of watchmen and leaders. The regulations have also further clarified the roles of the Director General of the Department of Prison Management, the Chief District Officer, and the Prison Administrator.< /p>

Although the Prison Act 2079 replaced the Prison Act 2019, the Department of Prison Management had been managing prisoners according to the regulations issued in 2020. Now, Prison Regulations 2083 have been issued according to the new act.< /p>

According to the new regulations, the use of the Prison Management Information System has been made mandatory. According to this arrangement, details of prisoners must be entered into the system. The internal system prepared by the department must include prisoner photos and biometric details.< /p>