Prisoners in Kerala to get a wider variety of fish with Jail department entering into tie-up with Matsyafed

Complaints from prisoners implicit being served lone tuna for months are acceptable to beryllium addressed with the Jail section entering into an statement with Matsyafed to proviso food to 56 prisons crossed Kerala.

Under the caller agreement, a wider assortment of food volition present beryllium supplied to prisons. Until now, situation societies had been procuring food locally done tenders. Fish proviso done Matsyafed is expected to statesman successful May itself. Since Matsyafed unsocial has been entrusted with the responsibility, prisons volition person to wage the rates fixed by the agency.

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In an bid issued connected April 22, Deputy Inspector General, Headquarters, T.R. Rajeev directed the jailhouse authorities to pass Matsyafed astir the regular food request for the 2026-27 fiscal year. A dedicated web portal has besides been launched for this purpose.

Prisoners are presently served food curry for luncheon connected Mondays and Wednesday, portion mutton curry is provided connected Saturdays. Each captive is entitled to 200 g of atom each for luncheon and dinner.

Officers said remand and undertrial prisoners outnumber convicted prisoners successful the State's jails. Kerala’s 56 prisons presently location 10,716 inmates.

Authorities noted that nether the existing system, food was sometimes unavailable. With Matsyafed taking implicit procurement, food volition beryllium brought straight from sportfishing harbours successful refrigerated vehicles.

Fish varieties approved for proviso see sardine, mackeral, tuna and different commonly disposable fish. These volition beryllium chopped into curry-sized pieces earlier being delivered to prisons.

Cells successful prisons are opened astir 7 a.m. followed by meal astatine 7.30 a.m. Prisoners are past assigned enactment duties. They instrumentality to their cells astatine 11.30 a.m, with luncheon served astatine 12.30 p.m. Work resumes astir 2.30 p.m. and prisoners instrumentality to their cells aft enactment by 4.30 p.m. Dinner is served astatine 5 p.m., aft which the cells are locked and the keys handed implicit to the Superintendent.