Now, prisoners in Kerala gear up to run fuel stations

Agencies
September 18, 2019

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 18: After their success in dishing out delicious and cost-effective food items, prisoners in Kerala are now gearing up to manage fuel stations, thanks to an innovative government initiative.

Drawing inspiration from their counterparts in Tamil Nadu and Punjab, the Prison Department is all set to open petrol pumps in the outer campuses of three central jails in the state, envisaged to be run by selected inmates.

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is setting up the pumps in the land, identified by the prison department.

At least 15 convicted prisoners would be identified and given training to run each fuel station on a shift basis and they will be given wages for their work as per jail rules, authorities said.

A top prison official said the plan is to open the fuel stations by November-December this year.

"All necessary government clearances have been received for the initiative. The pumps will come up on the campuses of the central prisons in Poojappura here, Viyyur in Thrissur district and in Kannur," Prison DGP, Rishiraj Singh told PTI.

"The IOC will begin the construction works soon and the work is expected to be completed in the next one month.

We hope that the pumps can be opened by November-December", he said.

Singh said many states like Tamil Nadu already have petrol pumps under the Prisons department.

"They are making handsome revenue by running petrol pumps. Besides generating revenue, the project will also help prisoners engage in constructive activities," he said.

The DGP said the employees who would manage the petrol stations would be handpicked from among the convicted prisoners.

"Not just this project, but inmates are part of all our major initiatives like online food or in the running of prison cafeteria. Those who have knowledge in manning petrol pumps will be given preference. All those selected will be given training," he said.

Based on the nature of the work, the inmates are given wages of up to Rs 160-180a day in the state prisons and those deployed at the fuel stations would also be given remuneration as per the standards, he said.

Seeking to tap the hugely popular online food market, the Kerala Prison Department had recently begun offering biriyani prepared by inmates.

For this, they have tied up with Swiggy, the online food delivery player.

The Freedom Food Factory, an enterprise selling food, mainly chappathi and chicken curry combo, prepared by inmates at Kerala prisons, has been engaged in the business since 2011.

Comments

I think you are a Bhakth. Think about our PM, Home minister, entire ministry.All are criminals and thieves. One of the biggest thief (ambani) running fuel station.

 

If they are going to start then there will be suffiecient safety measures.

There is jail chapathi and biriyani. Did anybody die after eating foods prpared by prisoners??? There are safety measures

 

Anti-Mallu
 - 
Wednesday, 18 Sep 2019

Good. Let some thieves steal petrol, and some other steal spare parts of the vehicles that come to fill fuel. 

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News Network
July 14,2020

Udupi, July 14: Due to rising COVID-19 cases in this district, Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesh on Tuesday, announced that the border will be sealed down from July 15.

Speaking to newsmen here on Tuesday, he said “Inter-district travelers will not be allowed to enter Udupi for 14 days from 8 pm on Wednesday, however, we won’t be imposing complete lockdown in the district.”

The decision was taken in the meeting held in his chamber in which Legislators Haladi Srinivas Shetty (Kundapur), Sunil Kumar (Karkala), Rghupathi Bhat (Udupi), Sukumar Shetty (Byndoor), among others were present.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 30,2020

Manglauru, July 30: There will be no congregational prayer on Eid Al-Adha at the historic Eidgah mosque in Mangluru’s lighthouse hill this year due to covid-19 pandemic. 

The decision to suspend the Eid prayers in Eidgah was taken as per the guidelines issued by the State Board of Auqaf, said Haji Y Abdullah Kunhi, president of Zeenat Baksh Central Juma Masjid and Eidgah Masjid.

However, Eid prayer will be held at Zeenat Baksh Central Juma Masjid on July 31 at 7 a.m.

Muslims in coastal Karnataka will be celebrating Eid al-Adha on July 31 whereas Muslims in other parts of Karnataka and India are celebrating the festival on August 1.  

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News Network
January 2,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 2: The Congress leadership in Delhi is expected to start the process of selecting a new party chief for Karnataka next week. There are strong indications the race has narrowed to DK Shivakumar and MB Patil.

Party insiders said the leadership almost finalised Shivakumar’s name as the president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), but the decision was put on hold after requests by some senior members.

“It’s not that we are against Shivakumar. We think the party should have a Lingayat at the helm since community strongman and chief minister BS Yediyurappa is at the fag end of his long political career. There’s an opportunity here for a Congressman to occupy that space,” said a senior Congress politician, who didn’t want to be named.

That’s where the candidacy of Patil, a Lingayat, scores high.

The party, however, doesn’t want to compromise on quality and wants an efficient KPCC president who can unite two rival factions within the party, one led by Siddaramaiah and another by former union minister KH Muniyappa.

The need to pick a new state president arose after Dinesh Gundurao resigned from the post last month, taking moral responsibility for Congress’s poor showing in the byelections. Siddaramaiah also stood down as Congress party legislature leader.

The insiders said the new KPCC chief could be announced after January 16. The party might also appoint two working presidents and a new legislature party leader, who will automatically become the opposition’s voice in the assembly.

For the latter position, the name of senior Dalit politician and former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara is doing the rounds. But the party, the sources said, could still ask Siddaramaiah to reconsider his decision and stay on.

Many Congress members had raised questions over his stewardship after the bypoll disappointment. They said on his watch, the party had also fared badly in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections, demanding that he be held accountable.

Siddaramaiah is expected to visit Delhi next week to discuss the leadership issue with party boss Sonia Gandhi. Some other senior Congress members, including BK Hariprasad, are also likely to meet her.

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