Prisoners in Karnataka jails get highest salary in country

Strange but true, the prisoners in the Karnataka jails get the highest salary in the country among jail inmates. The State government has increased their salary substantially. The salary bill of over 3,565 prisoners in 54 jails comes to Rs 58 Cr per year.

Bengaluru:The Karnataka government has increased the salary of jail inmates. The state home department has ordered to increase the salary of the prisoners in all of its 54 jails substantially. With this hike, Karnataka jail inmates would get highest salary in country. Inmates in jails work largely in carpentry, cultivation of vegetables, fruits, handicrafts, soaps and detergents, textiles etc.

Annual salary of all prisoners in the state put burden of over Rs 58 crore on state exchequer. The number of convicts in the 54 jails in the state is 3,565. Their salary expense comes to Rs 58.29 crore per year. This amount is being paid by the state home department.

As per the government rule, prisoner will be considered unskilled for a period of one year. As per the notification "After one year of training and apprenticeship, they will be elevated to the semiskilled level. After two more years of experience, they will be promoted to the skilled category. Subsequently, after three years of experience, prisoners will be categorized as highly skilled after taking into consideration their technical qualifications, experience and conduct. All prisoners regardless of gender will be paid the same salary.”

Unskilled inmates get Rs 524 per day including Rs 175 as wages, Rs 100 for clothes and Rs 75 cash as salary. After one year, prisoners become skilled workers and get Rs 548 per day including Rs 200 as wages, Rs 100 for clothes and Rs 100 cash. In first year, prisoners get Rs 14,248 per month.

In second year, the semi skilled prisoners get Rs 615 per day Rs 225 as wages, Rs 100 for clothes and Rs 125 cash as salary - Rs 15,990 per month. Ironically jail administration do not pay wages on weekly off or holiday. After three years, prisoners become highly skilled workers or trainee workers. Thereafter they get Rs 663 per day including Rs 250 wages, Rs 100 for clothes and Rs 150 cash - Rs 17,238 per month as salary.

While prisoners can spend 50% of their earnings on personal items such as coupons or send it to their families or loved ones, the remaining 50% will accumulate and be paid when they are released.