Manipur marks first-ever prisons department Raising Day, CM calls for reform and rehabilitation

Manipur observed the first-ever Raising Day of the Prisons and Correctional Services Department, commemorating 134 years of the department’s establishment, with Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh calling for prisons to focus not only on confinement but also on correction, reformation and rehabilitation.

The Chief Minister attended the 1st Raising Day celebration at the Manipur Central Prison, Imphal, and described the occasion as a historic milestone for the department.

Addressing the gathering, Khemchand Singh emphasised that a person kept behind bars should not be considered a convict unless proven guilty in accordance with law. He said prisons should function as institutions that provide opportunities for moral correction, reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the manpower shortage faced by the Prisons and Correctional Services Department. He suggested that vacant posts could be filled through the Die-in-Harness Scheme or direct recruitment, as appropriate. He further assured that the state government would extend all possible support for upgrading and modernising prison infrastructure in line with present-day requirements.

Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam described the first Raising Day celebration as a historic achievement for the department. He said the department had not received due recognition earlier, which had prevented the observance of such an occasion, and noted that the recognition had now enabled the celebration.

Konthoujam stressed that every government department plays an important role in serving citizens and functioning of the state administration. He also said the government was working towards improving the overall condition of prisons in Manipur and appreciated the officers and staff for their dedicated service.

During the programme, the Chief Minister decorated S.K. Bhadrika, Superintendent of Manipur Central Jail, Imphal, with a medal for exemplary service. Bhadrika had received the President's Correctional Service Medal for Distinguished Service on the occasion of Independence Day in 2024.

Prizes were also distributed to winners of a 5-km run organised by the department earlier in the day as part of the Raising Day celebrations.

The programme was attended by DGP, Nagaland, Rupin Sharma; DGP (Prisons), Manipur, Arvind Kumar; ADGP I.K. Muivah and other senior officials of the Prisons and Correctional Services Department.