PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court and district courts of Kanpur Dehat and Mahoba rely on Naini Central Jail inmates to meet their designer furniture requirements. Be it wooden racks, judges chairs, tables, stools, almirah, sofa-set, centre table or other office types of furniture, a team of 70 inmates work relentlessly to meet out the demand for furniture.
The designer furniture is being prepared as per the designs provided by the courts. PN Pandey, senior jail superintendent of Naini central jail told TOI, “the Sheesham wood furniture prepared by inmates is in demand in the state courts. He added, “jail authorities have received orders worth Rs 1 crore in January this year from different courts of the state and around 70 per cent furniture made by inmates have already been dispatched.
He also said that courts were the major buyers of quality furniture prepared by jail inmates. But other government departments have also shown interest in the same.
“A team of 70 inmates work around six to eight hours daily to shape designer furniture,” said Pandey. “The jail supplies over 200 furniture, particularly for office purposes, on-demand every year,” he added.
He further claimed that furniture is being supplied on-demand only. We receive demand from the various district courts of the state and admitted that Allahabad High Court is one of the major clients of products made by inmates.
A product has to meet certain criteria and clear a quality test before it is supplied to the buyer. There are many inmates lodged at Naini central jail who had earlier worked as carpenters and take interest in shaping the new design of furniture. Similarly, other inmates are also being trained in furniture manufacturing by the trained ones.
The jail authorities also appreciate the efforts of inmates for shaping designer furniture and even provides a certificate of appreciation after an inmate acquires the skills.
Pandey, meanwhile, said “The inmates also acquire skills that can be used after being released from jail and secondly, they can also go for setting up their business while learning the skill. A balance sheet is also maintained where the task done by every inmate and his earning is registered,” said Pandey.
Jail authorities also organise events to teach inmates about employment skills to help them join mainstream after release from prison,” officials claimed.