Home Ministry allocates Rs 20 cr for giving financial help to poor prisoners to get bail

 In a communication to all states, the MHA said that each state should open a dedicated account for seamless flow of funds from the Central government to state headquarters so that the funds could be disbursed to the needy.

PTI  |  New Delhi |  February 22, 2024 : The Ministry of Home Affairs has allocated Rs 20 crore for providing financial assistance to poor prisoners, who could not afford their bail money and continue to languish in jail.

In a communication to all states, the MHA said that each state should open a dedicated account for seamless flow of funds from the Central government to state headquarters so that the funds could be disbursed to the needy.

'The Ministry of Home Affairs has made provision for an amount of Rs 20 crore annually which the states and UTs can make use of for providing financial assistance to poor prisoners to seek release from jail,' the communication said.

For efficient implementation of the scheme and seamless flow of funds from the Centre to the states, the states were asked to take a number of steps in this regard.

According to the MHA communication, all states and UTs were asked to constitute 'Empowered Committees' in all districts and an 'Oversight Committee' at the state or UT headquarters level with the indicative composition of such committees as provided in the guidelines.

Each state and UT must appoint a nodal officer at the state or UT headquarters level who may engage with the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Central Nodal Agency (CNA) -- National Crime Records Bureau -- to seek any clarification or amplification about the procedure or guidelines.

Each state and UT should open a subsidiary account at the state or UT headquarter level under the CNA's account (NCRB) and have it mapped on Public Financial Management System (PFMS) on most urgent basis as all funds from the Centre will flow through this account.

The states were told by the MHA that district level 'Empowered Committee', with the assistance of District Legal Services Authority and prison authorities, shall examine cases of eligible prisoners and shall have the power to sanction the amount required for paying fine or bail amount within the parameters of the guidelines prescribed on the subject.