CHENNAI: State Minister for Energy Resources and Law R Nirmalkumar on Sunday ordered the creation of an in-house bazaar system inside prisons and directed officials to fully digitise prison records after inspecting the Puzhal Central Prison, as the TVK government moved to tighten prison administration and curb the movement of contraband.
During the inspection, the minister reviewed prison infrastructure, inmate welfare measures, visitor facilities and security arrangements, while assessing the functioning of prisons under the State administration. Officials said the government was examining measures to modernise prison management across Tamil Nadu's 13 prisons.
A key focus of the review was the proposed in-house bazaar system, under which fruits and other permitted items required by inmates would be procured and distributed internally within prison premises. The minister said the mechanism was aimed at plugging channels through which narcotics and banned substances were allegedly entering prisons. He instructed prison officials to initiate steps to operationalise the system at the earliest.
Nirmalkumar also directed officials to completely digitise prison registers and modernise inmate medical records as part of a broader administrative overhaul. The review covered prison kitchens, healthcare facilities, drinking water supply, visitor access procedures and legal assistance for undertrial prisoners lodged for extended periods.
The minister said additional surveillance cameras, improved generator facilities, and upgraded monitoring systems would be introduced in phases after obtaining approval from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and the required financial allocation in the forthcoming State budget.