Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday called for prisons to function not merely as places of confinement but as institutions for the moral correction, reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.
Khemchand Singh made the remarks while attending the first Raising Day celebration of the Prisons and Correctional Services Department, Manipur, held at the Manipur Central Prison in Imphal. The event commemorated 134 years since the establishment of the department.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister described the occasion as a historic milestone, noting that the department was celebrating its first-ever Raising Day.
He also emphasised that a person kept behind bars should not be considered a convict unless proven guilty in accordance with the law.
Khemchand Singh said he was informed during his interaction with senior officials that the department was functioning with a shortage of manpower. He suggested filling vacant posts through the Die-in-Harness Scheme or direct recruitment, as appropriate.
He also assured that the government would extend all possible support for upgrading and modernising prison infrastructure to meet present-day standards.
Speaking on the occasion, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam described the first Raising Day celebration as a historic achievement for the department.
He said it was unfortunate that the department’s Golden Jubilee could not be celebrated earlier as it had not been given due recognition. Following its recognition, the department was now able to organise the celebration, he said.
Konthoujam said every government department plays an important role in serving citizens and in the functioning of the government. He said the government was working to improve the overall condition of prisons in the state and appreciated the officers and staff of the department for discharging their duties with dedication.
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During the programme, the chief minister decorated S K Bhadrika, superintendent of Manipur Central Jail, Imphal, with a medal for exemplary service. Bhadrika was awarded the President’s Correctional Service Medal for Distinguished Service on the occasion of Independence Day in 2024.
Prizes were also distributed to winners of a 5-km run organised by the department earlier in the day as part of the celebration.
The programme was attended by DGP, Nagaland, Rupin Sharma; DGP (Prisons), Manipur, Arvind Kumar; ADGP I K Muivah and other senior officials of the Prisons and Correctional Services Department.
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