Covid-19 boost: Delhi's Tihar jail almost doubles wages of its inmates

NEW DELHI: The wages of inmates at Tihar Jail have been revised and nearly doubled ahead of Independence Day.
According to officials, wages for skilled labour has been hiked from Rs 171 to Rs 308 per day, while semi-skilled and unskilled labourers will be paid Rs 248 and Rs 194 per day, respectively as against Rs 138 and Rs 107 earlier.
Sources said the wages were revised keeping the Covid-19 pandemic in mind since a number of inmates have been saving the money for their families.
On Independence Day, Tihar Jail authorities also remitted sentences by up to one month for inmates found to have a record of a good conduct.
Jail sources said the decision to increase the wages was taken up by the home department of Delhi government after inmates appealed for a hike to sustain their family members who have lost jobs during the lockdown.
Wages are paid to convicted prisoners for working inside the jail, which can either be voluntary or a part of their punishment. The wage is fixed on the basis of skill-level and the rates are revised from time-to-time.
Around one-fourth of wages that convicts earn are used to pay compensation to the victims of the crimes they have committed. Jail sources said that wage hike will benefit about 4,000 convicts who are employed at the production centers at the jail or are engaged in housekeeping, gardening or at the kitchen.
Tihar authorities said that apart from the wages, convicts maintaining good conduct have been granted special remission by the prison department. Convicts who have a prison term of up to one year were given a remittance of 15 days, while those with jail term of more than five years were given a remittance of 20 days. Convicts serving more than five years of sentence have been given a 25-day remittance.
According to jail officials, remittance of sentence can be granted by the director general of prisons based on the conduct of the convicts.