Date:22/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/22/stories/2007052211890300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Saviyoota' launched for prisoners

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Home Minister M.P. Prakash on Monday launched the "Saviyoota" programme for prisoners at the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara here.

Scheme

Under the scheme, the Akshaya Patra Foundation of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will provide lunch and dinner consisting of rice, sambar and buttermilk to the inmates.

Stating that this was prescribed under the Karnataka Prison Manual, Mr. Prakash said that the Prisons Department would now have to bear only 20 per cent of the feeding costs of the prisoners.

Success

Depending on the success of this programme, it would be extended to other prisons in the State.

Supply of breakfast, coffee, tea, ragi mudde, chapathi and non-vegetarian food would, however, be provided by the prison itself, said S.T. Ramesh, Additional Director General of Police and Inspector General of Prisons.

Jayashree and Anu, inmates who used to cook at the prison, said that the food tasted good. s"The quality of rice is much better than the one we cooked," Jayashree said.

Award

Three police officials were awarded the Correctional Service Medal by Mr. Prakash.

They are N. Jayaramaiah, Additional Director General of Police, Central Prison, K.P. Shivakumar, principal warden, Chikkaballapur sub jail, and N. Chikkarasaiah, chief warden, Central Prison.