Punjab Cabinet approves use of jail land for commercial use

Chandigarh, Aug 16 (UNI) The Punjab Cabinet today granted approval for the transfer of vacant land at the Central Jails in Amrtisar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepur to Punjab Industrial Development Board (PIDB) for commercial use.

PIDB would prepare the project and commercially exploit these properties and the revenue earned would be utilised for improvement of the conditions in the three jails.

The Cabinet also decided to transfer surplus land of around 294 acres of Kapurthala Open Jail to the Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation (PSIEC) for developing an Industrial Focal Point.

The Council of Minister also gave its approval for setting up of modern prisons in the jurisdiction of Kapurthala and Faridkot districts. Each of these two prisons would have a capacity to accommodate about 2500 prisoners.

The two prisons would have modern infrastructure, which would include a multi-speciality hospital at Faridkot to cater to the treatment o prisoners in all jails of Punjab. Prisoners with serious aliments would be treated at the Faridkot hospital and they would not have to seek treatment in hospitals outside prisons.

The Council of Ministers gave its approval to transfer 70 acres of land belonging to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot to the Department of Home Affairs and Justice (Jail Department) for the construction of the Modern Jail there.

These decisions were taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here this evening.

UNI