A mission for jail birds

Statesman News Service

MALDA, April 11: The Malda Ramkrishna Mission has introduced “value-added education” in 11 more jails of the state. This brings the number of jails and sub-jails to 21, where the mission is executing various programmes formulated on the lines of correctional homes for the benefit of the inmates. As per the secretary of the Malda Ramkrishna Mission, Swami Divyananda Maharaj, the organisation has set up libraries at various correctional homes such as Malda, Raiganj, Behrampore, Mathabanga, Krishnanagar, Howrah, Hooghly, Diamond Harbour, Midnapore East and West, Suri, Alipur, Siliguri, Durgapur, Bolpur and Burdwan jails. Recently, the Mission donated books valued at Rs 2.5 lakh to the jails. The Ramkrishna Mission also monitors self-employment training provided to inmates in Malda, Balurghat, Krishnanagar and Alipur jails. The Mission conducts regular classes on motivation, prayer, meditation, recitation, drawings and so on, for the positive development of the prisoners. Even mass literacy programmes are organised in jails regularly. Prisoners receive sermons on the life and teachings of great prophets and also appear for periodic examinations in the jail. Reportedly, nearly 2,000 inmates participated in it and were awarded prizes in Malda, North 24-Parganas and Burdwan. Divyananda Maharaj said the Mission would soon provide formal education at Shaymdaspur village in English Bazaar after it receives a particular plot as donation by one Mr Kalipada Singha, the land owner. Divyananda Maharaj said they would get official rights over the land from the district magistrate soon, after which a school will be set up for tribal children. Reportedly, there are about 100 families belonging to the Souria and Malpaharia tribals at Shyamdaspur village in the English Bazaar block. Although most of them are illiterate, they have their names enrolled in the voters’ list. Also, they do not possess ration cards for purchasing food at reasonable prices from the government. Swami Divyananda said: “I told the officials and block sabhapati to look into the matter.”