No shortage of barracks for women prisoners: Govt

There is no shortage of barracks for women prisoners in various jails of the country as only 70 per cent of them are lodged against the available capacity but male prisoners are 114 per cent of the capacity for them, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.
"There is no shortage of jails and barracks for women prisoners in the country," Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said.
The Minister said against the capacity of 4,748 for women prisoners, a total of 2,985 women are kept in jails.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said against the total capacity of 3,66,781 for prisoners in various jails in the country, "a total of 114 per cent male prisoners are lodged. In case of women, only 70 per cent prisoners of the capacity are lodged in various jails."

He, however, said that since Prisons is a state subject, efforts are being made to increase the capacity of jails as per needs and at some places new barracks or jails are being constructed.
"Attempts are being made to increase the capacity of jails and some states are doing it also," he said.

The Minister said there are 18 jails exclusively for women in the country.
"As on December 31, 2015, against 17,834 women prisoners in various jails of the country, the number of women jail staff is 4,391. Therefore, the ratio of women jail staff to prisoners is aproximately 1:4," he said in his written reply.

As regards children staying with women prisoners, the Minister informed the House that as per rules they are allowed to keep their children below six years of age with them, but they are free to send their children to stay with their relatives or NGOs or lawyers.
"If they need, they can keep their children with them. The Delhi government has made provision of a hostel where 22 children of women prisoners are lodged there," he informed.