New Delhi: Dharamveer Prajapati, the Minister of Jails in Uttar Pradesh, has directed all prison administrations to play recordings of the 'Maha Mrityunjay mantra' and the 'Gayatri mantra' in the jails.
He said that doing so would provide the detainees with peace of mind, news agency IANS reported.
According to the minister, reciting these mantras will enhance the environment within the cells and alleviate convicts' mental tension.
He stated that this would assist convicts in leaving imprisonment as rehabilitated people.
In another directive, the minister prohibited the use of plastic bottles and plastic items in prisons. He has directed authorities to seek viable and environmentally beneficial alternatives.
On Wednesday, 135 convicts were freed from several state prisons.
These are the convicts who have been imprisoned for an extended period of time owing to non-payment of penalties.
Dharmveer Prajapati, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Prisons, has stated that orders have been issued for the establishment of a toll-free hotline for filing complaints against the Prisons Department.
In addition, the UP government has mandated an online way of meeting convicts in jail rather than the offline approach.
According to the News18 report, the UP Jail Minister further added that any employee of his department is welcome to meet with him at any time. He promised to consider the officers' proposals in the department's 100-day action plan.
The Minister has also requested a proposal to fill the departmental openings as soon as possible. Suresh Rahi, the Minister of State for Prisons, was also present at the crucial meeting.
(With IANS Inputs)