The Punjab Home Department has unveiled a new policy to keep convicted prisoners in jails within their home districts, aiming to ease family visits and reduce overcrowding in central jails.
A committee has been formed to outline the procedure for transferring inmates to district jails, with recommendations expected within a week. Previously, prisoners sentenced to more than five years were often relocated to central jails, creating hardships for their families due to travel costs and logistics.
The former practice also contributed to severe overcrowding in central jails, which often operated beyond capacity.
Under the new policy, district jails are being upgraded to enhance security and accommodate more prisoners, addressing both family concerns and infrastructure challenges. Death row inmates are already housed within their respective districts, and industrial setups in district jails allow prisoners to serve hard labor sentences.