Impressed by the "upkeep" of detention centres for foreigners in the national capital, the union government has directed all states to implement the Delhi model in building and maintaining such centres that house those living illegally in the country, officials said.
"The union home ministry has found Delhi government's detention centres for foreigners as the most streamlined ones and ordered that the model be implemented across the states," top sources in the Delhi government told IANS.
Detention centres, which are managed by state governments, house foreigners who overstay or don't have valid travel documents or illegally cross over into India. Delhi is among the few states, which has three such detention centres.
While two are under Delhi government's social welfare department, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) manages the detention centre for Bangladeshi illegal migrants.
In August, the union home ministry asked all state governments to build at least one detention centre for Bangladeshi nationals, who would be deported - one of the poll promises of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
While the central government found that Delhi was running its centers well by providing good food, better recreational facilities and keeping them clean and hygienic, most states don't even have such centers.
"The government of India wants detention centres in every state. They also want them to be run by social welfare departments of the respective states as being done by Delhi. The security of the inmates will rest with the state police," the official told IANS.
The Delhi government's social welfare department, which another official described as the "housekeeping agency" of the detention centre, is entrusted with the task of providing food, sanitation and entertainment for the inmates.
"We follow all the guidelines in warding these inmates. The food quality is good. We make sure that each of them gets 2,700 calories (for men) every day," the official said.
Of the two detention centres, one is for women located in Nirmal Chaya in west Delhi with a capacity of housing 15 detainees.
The other centre is at Lampur Complex in north Delhi and which houses up to 400 men.
Officials said the number of inmates keep changing each day. Till Sept 24, Lampur Complex had 22 inmates.
Officials said the Delhi government is planning to provide more facilities to the inmates by adding a library, basketball court, more television sets and public call offices (PCOs) in these two centers.
"We will be in touch with the Mahanagar Telecom Nagar Limited to install more PCOs. The calls will of course be recorded," an official said.
In a recent meeting chaired by Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Delhi Urban Slum Improvement Board were asked to carry out repair works in these centres.
"We have also asked the FRRO to consider providing library and other facilities to Bangladeshi detainees in the Shahzada Bagh (in west Delhi)," the official added.
According to government officials, only a few states have detention centres. Goa recently announced to set up a detention centre for foreigners who are overstaying in the state.
(Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at gaurav.s@ians.in)
