Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath govt has spent over Rs 17,000 crore over the past nine-and-a-half years to modernise Uttar Pradesh’s prison system, strengthen security and upgrade infrastructure, a senior official said on Thursday.Director General, Prisons and Correctional Services, PC Meena said state govt has focused not only on strengthening law and order but also on making prisons more responsive to contemporary requirements.“Efforts have been made to expand prison capacity and improve security and administrative arrangements through modern infrastructure and technology,” Meena said.He said the prison department’s budget has witnessed a sharp increase during the period. The allocation rose from Rs 913.07 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 2,877.58 crore in 2026-27, an increase of about 215%.According to officials, the department received a cumulative budget of Rs 5,494.41 crore between 2017-18 and 2021-22. The allocation increased to Rs 11,913.53 crore during the 2022-23 to 2026-27 period.“This increase reflects govt’s commitment to the development and modernisation of prisons,” Meena said.The state is also expanding inmate capacity and constructing new district prisons. Jails are being built in Amethi at a cost of Rs 176.12 crore, Mahoba (Rs 203.42 crore), Hathras (Rs 184.94 crore), Kushinagar (Rs 228.31 crore), Jaunpur (Rs 179.79 crore) and Hapur (Rs 190.08 crore).In addition, the process of acquiring land for proposed prisons is underway. Govt has sanctioned Rs 24.56 crore for a proposed jail in Sambhal, Rs 96.20 crore in Shamli, Rs 24.12 crore in Ballia, Rs 50.87 crore in Saharanpur, Rs 32.28 crore in Amroha and Rs 34.27 crore in Chandauli, he said.
