Made-in-prison products to be sold online in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Wallets, shoes, nets, napkins and organic food — you name it and the Tamil Nadu prisons department will deliver it, soon. The department is planning to sell a wide range of products (see graphic) that jail inmates have been making under the ‘Freedom’ brand. They will also be available at police canteens and police-run supermarkets across the state.
Amaraesh Pujari, director of prison and correctional services told TOI that there has been public demand for products made by prisoners. “While they are being sold through select outlets attached to prisons, going online will give them a greater reach. We are in touch with e-tail portals,” he said.

The first Prison Bazaar was opened at Central Prison on December 9, 2013 by then chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The bazaar works from 9am to 9pm every day at the central prisons in Chennai, Salem, Tiruchi, Cuddalore, Madurai, Vellore, Palayamkottai and Coimbatore. Chennai has three campuses – Puzhal Central Prison No.1 and No. 2, and Women’s Prison.
The initiative has been able to upskill prisoners and offer them a life of dignity by earning while serving their sentence. A corpus fund of 10 lakh was sanctioned for Prison Bazaar. The profit earned is apportioned as 20% for the prisoners who worked on the product, 20% for the government, 20% for prison staff welfare and 40% for the Tamil Nadu prison department manufacture of goods fund.
The bazaars brought in revenues of 5.23 crore with a profit of 1 crore till February 2023.