From Prison Cells to Stalls: Bengal Inmates Sell Food and Handicrafts Outside Jail Gates

PTI, KOLKATA, OCT 24, 2025 :  Every afternoon, the aroma of potato fritters and cutlets fills the air outside the tall walls of the Alipore Women's Correctional Home in Kolkata. Passersby stop to buy snacks, unaware that the women frying and packing the food are inmates still serving sentences.

For these women inmates, the small stall just outside the jail gate is more than a workplace; it’s a bridge between confinement and community. It offers them a chance to rediscover themselves, interact with the outside world, and regain dignity often lost in isolation. They are part of Abhinno (Integrated), an innovative initiative launched in July by the West Bengal Correctional Services Department to help inmates earn livelihoods and rebuild confidence while in prison.

Under the program, prisoners prepare and sell food, handicrafts, and other goods directly to the public from stalls located outside correctional home entrances. Officials describe it as “rehabilitation with dignity.” West Bengal Correctional Services Minister Chandranath Sinha said, “Abhinno is setting a new benchmark in prison reform. The products made by inmates are sold through these outlets outside jail premises. An NGO trains them, and the earnings go into the prisoners' welfare fund. The inmates also receive wages, which are handed over after release,” Sinha told PTI.

What began as a modest experiment at Alipore Women's Correctional Home is now expanding to other prisons across Bengal. Around 25 inmates are part of the initiative at Alipore, with eight running the stall daily—handling cooking, serving, selling handicrafts, and managing accounts under supervision. Though surrounded by high walls, the scene buzzes with life and laughter as the women trade recipes, count earnings, and call out to customers with quiet pride.

The idea, officials say, was born from a simple conversation. “We were discussing how inmates' work could sustain them after release,” said Debashis Chakraborty, DIG (Prisons), Presidency Range. “That led to the idea of creating a structured platform for their skills.” The proposal sent to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee received an instant nod. “She not only approved it,” Chakraborty said, “but also named it herself—Abhinno.” Banerjee virtually inaugurated the project in July this year.

Initially, four correctional homes—Alipore Women's, Presidency, Dum Dum, and Suri—were chosen. Alipore became the starting point as it already had ready-to-use stalls near its gate. The initiative has since expanded to the other three prisons, with inmates shortlisted to manage stalls.

For the inmates, the day begins before dawn. They knead dough, chop vegetables, and prepare trays of ghugni, cutlets, and samosas. Some decorate cakes while others pack rolls and pastries. By late afternoon, customers from nearby offices and educational institutions line up for lunch. Behind the smiles and services, women are learning teamwork, responsibility, and the basics of running a business.

“Inside prison, we follow strict schedules, but when we work here, we feel free—not because we can go outside, but because people from outside come to us,” said one inmate.

Earnings from the stall go into the West Bengal Prisoners' Welfare Fund, while the inmates receive wages saved and handed over upon release, the official said. Allowing inmates to interact with the public required faith, said Chakraborty. “We have trusted human beings, and that trust has not been misplaced.” Security is ensured through CCTV and guards, but the real safeguard, officials say, is the sense of purpose the project gives. According to ADG (Prisons) L N Meena, the initiative has made a visible difference. “The response from the public has been very encouraging. The inmates themselves are showing greater positivity,” he told PTI.

Besides food, the stalls also showcase a range of products made in Bengal’s jails—textiles, jute crafts, candles, detergents, and clothes. Weaving units produce towels and bedsheets, while carpentry workshops make furniture for prison use.

The program is being implemented with Junglemahal Udyog, an NGO that trains inmates in skills and livelihood generation. “The project is new, but the response is overwhelming. It’s heartening to see them gain confidence through their own work,” said NGO secretary Priyabrata Bera.

What began as a correctional experiment is now transforming public attitudes. Locals who once avoided prison gates now stop for tea and snacks. “The food is great, and the people are polite,” said a college student at the Alipore stall.

Officials say such interactions reshape both inmates' self-image and society’s perception of them. “Correction is not just about confinement,” said a senior officer. Buoyed by public response, the department plans to expand the project to all prisons, register it as a cooperative brand, and explore tie-ups with cafes, canteens, and government outlets for wider outreach.