To reduce the burden on prisons, the Centre launched a special scheme to provide financial support to poor people who are struggling in prison because they cannot pay fines or bail.

“This will enable the release of poor prisoners, most of whom belong to socially disadvantaged or marginalised groups with low levels of education and income,” the Home Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

It said the broad outlines of the scheme – support for poor prisoners – had been finalised after consultation with stakeholders.

Technology-driven solutions will be implemented to ensure that the scheme’s benefits reach poor prisoners, the E-prisons platform will be strengthened, and the District Legal Services Authority will be strengthened, raising awareness among stakeholders and emphasising capacity building.

The Home Ministry said the government is taking various measures to address the lack of interrogation in prisons. Beneath this, one of the announcements is “Support for Poor Prisoners”. Other steps include the insertion of Section 436A in the Code of Criminal Procedure and a new Chapter XXIA “Plea Bargaining”, in the CrPC.

The ministry said that free legal aid is being provided to indigent prisoners through the Legal Services Administration at all levels. “To further ensure that the benefits of the Budget extend to all intended sectors of society, one of the Budget’s priorities, the guided ‘Saptarishis’, is reaching the last mile,” it added.

The statement said that prisons are an essential part of the criminal justice system and play an important role in upholding the rule of law. The Home Ministry has been sharing necessary guidelines with state governments through various advice issued occasionally.

The ministry has also been providing financial support to the state government to strengthen and modernise prison security infrastructure.