Recent data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reveals that the governments of Delhi, Goa and Maharashtra spent the least money per day, on three meals given to a prisoner in 2015. The amount is much lower than the national average of Rs 52.42.
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday decided to appoint a three-member committee that would monitor the condition of food in the state’s jails. The decision comes after the Bombay HC directed the state government to improve the living conditions of the prisoners in the state.
The committees will comprise a nutritionist and two social workers, a man and a woman. They will visit the prisons at least once a month and monitor the quality and quantity of food given to the prisoners. The committee will then submit give its feedback to the government, which will make changes accordingly.
The condition in Delhi and Goa is even worse than Maharashtra.
Nagaland topped the country in the expenditure on prisoner’s food, spending Rs 139.22 per prisoner every day. Jammu and Kashmir follow closely, which spent Rs 110.33 per prisoner per day.
According to the Union Home Ministry’s Model Prison Manual, a male prisoner should have a calorie intake between 2,320 and 2,730 kcal/day. For female prisoners, it is prescribed to be between 1900 to 2830 kcal/day.
However, every state has the right to decide its menu for the prisoners as prison administration is federal in nature. But it is required to adhere to the nutritional requirements laid down by the model prison manual.
The Maharashtra government spent Rs 84.76 crore in 2015 on the upkeep of its prisoners. Out of this, Rs 37.04 crore, nearly 44%, was spent on the food of the inmates.
