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*PRISONERS *JUVENILE PRISON YOUTH *DESTITUTE YOUTH : By means of ~Vocational training courses. ~Income generating micro projects. ~Social awareness Programmes. ~Social Development Schemes. ~Legal Assistance ~Counselling ~Sports, Games, Music & entertainment. ~Child-in-need educational assistance. ~Prisoners’ family welfare scheme.
1) JHARKHAND INVITES DON BOSCO PRISON MINISTRY 2) A VISION REALIZED 3) VISION BRIGHT4) VISION BRIGHT - 20085) Integrated educational & developmental support to prisoners' children back home living in the community for mainstreaming and social re-integration6) CHILDREN'S DAY ON March 26, 20087) JOB ORIENTED TRAINING FOR THE PRISONER’S CHILDREN BACK HOME8) FEMALE PRISON INMATES GET COLOUR TELEVISION SETS.9) PROPOSALS FOR REFORM10) BERHAMPORER PRISONERS ON THE STAGE
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JHARKHAND INVITES DON BOSCO PRISON MINISTRY
Mr. B.D. Sharma IPS , Inspector General of Prisons, Govt. of West Bengal , has informed Fr. N. T. Scaria, that Jharkhand Government is interested to tie up with Don Bosco Prison Ministry, for the rehabilitation of prisoners and especially for the Education and Health care of the children of prisoners back home, a project which is being worked out by Don Bosco Prison Ministry, with other N G O partners and Prisons Directorate, Government of West Bengal.
A VISION REALIZED
Several Female children of prisons never enter a class room or become school drop outs, due to want of parental care and support . Don Bosco Prison Ministry had felt the need to open HOMES for them - one each at Jalpaiguri, Murshidabad, Nadia and Midnapore. With the personal initiative of Fr. N.T. Scaria, Director of Don Bosco Prison Ministry, and Mr. B.D. Sharma IPS , Inspector General of prisons, Govt. of West Bengal, who appraised Sri. Biswanath Choudhury, Honorable Minister, in charge of Correctional Services and Social Welfare Department, regarding the urgent need for the same, has already received the Social Welfare Departmental approval for establishing Holy Child Home at Dayabari, Ranaghat in Nadia District. Holy Child Home is administered by the Nuns, belonging to the Congregation of sisters of Charity. The said congregation is world famous for its dedicated and selfless services to the cause of the poor. A few girls have already reached Dayabari – Ranaghat from various districts - namely Purulia, Bankura, Midnapore, Murshidabad and Birbhum. Governmental approval for other Homes is being awaited.
VISION BRIGHT
EDUCATION is the best gift one can offer a child. With this view in mind, Don Bosco Prison Ministry started giving educational support to the needy children of prisoners in Berhampore Central Prison in West Bengal in the year 2002. This scheme was extended to the Children of the Inmates of Lalgola and Midnapore Central Prisons.
Mr B.D. Shaarma IPS, Inspector General of Prisons, formed an N G O forum together with the Prisons Directorate, Govt. of West Bengal, to extend the same benefit to all the children of the Prison Inmates all over Bengal.
The said forum was inaugurated on September 24, 2006, by Mr. K.G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of India, in the presence of other honorable judges of the Supreme Court, High Courts, Mr. Biswanath Choudhury - honorable Minister in charge of Prisons, West Bengal and other Officers of the Prison Directorate. Today this scheme -Prisoners’ Children Back Home – is known as “ VISION BRIGHT ” reaching out to as many as 2000 helpless children.
VISION BRIGHT - 2008
Don Bosco Prison Ministry, in partnership with Prisons Directorate, Govt. of West Bengal, launched “ VISION BRIGHT ” , the Educational Support for the children of prisoners in Bengal, for the year 2008 from March this year. First programme was organized on March 26, at Don Bosco Md. Bazar, for the children of the prisoners of Birbhum district. Mr. Murli Dhar Das, Welfare officer of Berhampore Central Prison represented the prisons Directorate . The Staff and students of Don Bosco Md. Bazar participated in the programme.
Events of the day included :
1. Reception at 10.30 am. 2. Flag Hoisting at 11.00 am. 3 Cultural programme at 11.45 am. 4 Chance games at 12.15 pm. 5 Lunch at 01.30 pm
followed by the handing over of the stipend for the year 2008.
Every child went home with the yearly stipend together with an umbrella and a school bag.
A similar programme was held on May 04, at Don Bosco Prison Ministry premises at Berhampore for the children of Murshidabad district.
Children of Nadia distract had their day on May 11, at Dayabari Holy Family Home, Ranaghat. Staff and students of Holy Family School , Ranaghat organized the show.
On May 24, Prisoners’ children from the districts of Purulia , Bankura, Midnapore East and Midnapore West came together at Midnapore Central Prison. It was a heart moving sight to see needy children coming all the way from far flung villages to take part in the programme. It showed how much they valued education. Mr. Mukherjee, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, presided over the function. Mr. S.K Din , Superintendent of Midnapore Jail, Mr. Mandi – Welfare Officer, Jailor and other Officers put in great effort to make the day a success. All went home happy.
“ VISION BRIGHT ” PROGRAMME WAS HELD ON June 01, at Holy Child School, Jalpaiguri for the prisoners children from the districts of Darjeeling, Coochbihar, and Jalpaiguri. Mr. B,Mukherjee – Superintendent of Jalpaiguri Jail presided over the function. Sisters, Staff and students of Holy Child School entertained the children and their guardians. Welfare Officer, Jailor and other prison staff from the Jalpaiguri jail gave all the help needed. Sr.Christine, Sr.Usha, Sr.Elisha and Sr.Archana deserve special thanks for the hard work they put in to make the day enjoyable and memorable .
FROMMr. B.D SHAARMA, IPS, I G of Correctional Services, West BengalTOSri BASAB DAS GUPTA, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Murshidabad, West Bengal
SUB: Integrated educational & developmental support to prisoners' children back home living in the community for mainstreaming and social re-integration.
There are a large number of prisoners' children particularly those of convicts in Murshidabad District living back home in the community and trying to pursue their studies in spite of being in acute adversity. It is a sacred duty of the right thinking people in the society to provide educational and developmental support - moral and material, to these prisoners' children. The programme to provide educational and developmental support to prisoners' children undertaken in our State was inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan on September 24, 2006. One of the objectives of the project is to make the District Administration, Local Self Government Authorities, NGOs and CBOs responsible for taking best care of the children through networking. We have a number of valuable NGO partners to implement the programme. The DON BOSCO PRISON MINISTRY has been entrusted with the work of the project in Murshidabad District. The said organization under the leadership of Fr. N.T.SCARIA is doing a great service by deputing volunteers to visit them at home and school for the purpose and provide them counseling, stipend, books and other study/ writing materials as well as helping the families of these prisoners with social, economic and developmental support.
The District Police can help us in a big way in the implementation of the project. I would therefore ,request you to kindly direct your officers including officers-in-charge of the Police Stations to extend a helping hand to the correctional officers and Don Bosco Prison Ministry in this endeavor.
CHILDREN'S DAY ON March 26, 2008
JOB ORIENTED TRAINING FOR THE PRISONER’S CHILDREN BACK HOME On 17th November 2007, 25 children of life convicts from West Bengal left for New Delhi, for a training course in social action, for a period of 18 months, organized by National Legal Services Authority ( NALSA ). During the training period, not only all the expenses would be met by NALSA but also these youngsters would receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 1500.00 The programme was arranged by Mrs Mitra Choudhury - National Legal Advisor; Mr. B.D. Sharma IPS – I G Prisons and the NGO Partners - Don Bosco Prison Ministry, Ramakrishna Mission Ashram Malda, Offer, Matri Kallyan Sangh and Udayani .
FEMALE PRISON INMATES GET COLOUR TELEVISION SETS. Female inmates of Berhampore Central Prison were provided colour Television sets by Don Bosco Prison Ministry. Over 175 female inmates had only two 14” black & white television sets which were not functioning properly. Fr. N.T. Scaria and Fr Francis were approached by the inmates with their problem. Recently the Female inmates of Midnapore Jail were also presented with a Colour Television set by Fr Scaria.
PROPOSALS FOR REFORM During the second state level Dialogue with NGO | Social Organisations held by the Prisons Directorate, Government of West Bengal, on 1st October 2007, Fr. Scaria raised several points for reform in the jail department: 1. That the assurance given by the Chief Minister, West Bengal , in May 2007, after the staging of Taser Desh at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata, by the inmates of Berehampore Central Jail , regarding prompt premature release of life convicts as soon as the minimum required term is completed by them is yet to be implemented. 2. He suggested that convicts should be allowed 30 days’ parole every year , as it is being done in some states. 3. He strongly pleaded for “ Voting Rights ” of the prisoners. 4. Fr. Scaria felt that the work of the Welfare officers in jails has increased manifold in recent time and is likely to increase further. There is, therefore, a need for creation of more posts of welfare officers in the Central Prisons. Alternatively selected NGOs can be entrusted with the task to help the Welfare Officers. 5. He also felt that the pay scales of the prison officers are not very respectable in comparison with other Government officers of the same status which comes in the way of spirited performance by them. 6. He further suggested that canteen services are needed in the correctional homes for inmates, which can be run by them.
BERHAMPORER PRISONERS ON THE STAGE “TASER DESH” a drama written by Rabindranath Tagore was staged by the prison inmates of Berhampore Central Prison on 17th May 2007,at Rabindra Sadan , Kolkata. It was a historic event as at no other occasion life convicts have put up dramas in public. This event was witnessed by several distinguished personalities, including Mr. Buddhadev Bhattachariya, Chief Minister of West Bengal. These 26 prisoners have also traveled as far as New Delhi to stage the same play, on 18th November2007. Their effort was appreciated by all. The credit goes to Mr.B.D. Sharma IPS, IG Prisons and Mr Pradip Bhattachariya, the Director.
