Fuel stations to open in six open jails in Rajasthan, inmates to be employed

Jaipur: The inmates of six open jails in Rajasthan will soon be filling petrol and diesel at fuel stations set to open outside their prison compounds.

As part of a new initiative rolled out by the Rajasthan govt, the scheme aims to provide employment to inmates while creating a new revenue stream for the state.

Jail administrations in districts like Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Ajmer, Churu, Baran and Pratapgarh have begun finalising spaces for these petrol pumps, with some already entering the implementation phase.

Most of these fuel stations will operate 24 hours a day, with inmates working in three shifts. Those selected will receive daily wages for their work, similar to labour jobs they are otherwise assigned during their sentence.

"Only those serving long-term sentences and with a proven record of good conduct will be eligible for the roles. Many of these inmates are already living with their families in open jail facilities and are currently allowed to leave during the day for work," said a senior prisons dept official.

The fuel stations, officials said, will be managed in partnership with Indian Oil, while the daily operations and staff monitoring will be under the supervision of the respective jail administrations. Inmates will handle the actual fuel dispensing, and the selection process will emphasise discipline, behaviour and security risk.

At Shivsinghpura Jail in Sikar, space has already been earmarked at one corner of the prison premises. Acting jail superintendent Ramkishan Meena said most required permissions from depts have been secured.

There are currently 36 inmates in the open jail, many of whom are convicted of serious crimes including murder and robbery. These inmates currently leave the jail for labour work during the day, marking attendance in the morning and again in the evening. Once the pumps open, they will no longer need to go outside for work and will instead earn their livelihood by working at the jail-run fuel stations.

Ajmer is set to get two such fuel stations, while other districts are preparing for one each. Orders to initiate the setup have already been issued to jail superintendents, and processes like cost estimates and inter-dept coordination are underway.

Similarly, Pramod Singh, superintendent of Jhunjhunu district jail, said orders have been received to open a petrol pump outside the district jail campus. At present, there are 13 inmates in Jhunjhunu's open jail. All of them are serving sentences in murder cases. Some inmates are living with their families, while others are staying alone. A few of them go out daily for labour work, he added.