The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to State governments to constitute empowered committees and finalise the names of underprivileged inmates who are languishing in jails as they are unable to pay fines and secure release due to financial hardship.
The Ministry said the Union government would reimburse fine of up to ₹40,000 for each undertrial and ₹25,000 each for convicts who do not have the means to pay.
The scheme to decongest prisons was announced in the Union Budget. Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote to all Chief Ministers in May to implement the scheme. The detailed guidelines which include constituting an empowered committee in each district was shared with the States in August.
