New smart card system introduced in Tihar prisons

NEW DELHI: Tihar officials today introduced a smart card system for its inmates which will serve the dual purpose of a food coupon and help in checking illegal activities inside the jail premises.

Earlier, some inmates were found to have misused food coupons for procuring banned substances like tobacco and exchange it to get favours from fellow inmates.

"This smart card has been introduced so that it is used by inmates for the purpose with which it has been conceived. Food worth upto Rs 1,500 can be brought with this card. There will be an electronic record of each rupee that an inmate spends inside the jail. It cannot be used for illegal activities," Spokesperson of Tihar Prisons, Sunil Gupta said.

"The food coupon that was there earlier was like a currency note. Inmates would give it to interested parties and in return take wrong favours from them. But they cannot do the same now with the smart card. This card comes with a substantial amount and can be recharged only after a week," he said.

The canteens, located inside the 10 sub-jails, offer breakfast and other meals, apart from commodities such as combs, oil. Trained convicts manage these canteens.

"This will bring transparency in all transactions related to payments and purchases at the canteens inside the jail. Complains of loosing the coupon or the coupon getting destroyed will come to an end," Gupta said.