Punjab CM approves proposal to set up 12 IOC retail outlets on land of prison department

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday approved the proposal of the Punjab Prisons Development Board's (PPDB) to set up 12 retail outlets of Indian Oil Corporation on land owned by the prison department.

The Chief Minister was informed that this project, besides giving employment to 400 released prisoners, would generate an expected revenue of Rs 40 lakh per month.

Capt Amarinder Singh chaired the first meeting of the newly constituted PPDB.

Briefing the chief minister, the board's Member Secretary, ADGP Prisons, Praveen Sinha, said prisoners with good conduct would also be employed at the retail outlets and preference would be given to women prisoners.

According to an official release, the chief minister also granted approval to the brand name, Ujala Punjab, for all products manufactured by jail inmates for marketing purposes.

Approval was also accorded to the board for taking over all the factories established in jails, existing projects being run in Punjab prisons under PPP mode and commercial activities being done at Open Jail Nabha.

( With inputs from ANI )