Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Goa is moving towards progressive prison reforms with the government granting in-principle approval for a semi-open prison within the existing Colvale Jail premises.
The new facility aims to shift the focus from mere incarceration to rehabilitation and skill development for inmates nearing the end of their sentences or demonstrating good behaviour.
The initiative began last year when a nine-member delegation led by Additional Inspector General of Prisons Dr. Snehal Naik Goltekar visited Yerwada Jail in Pune to study the functioning of open and semi-open prisons.
The team observed how inmates were entrusted with responsibilities such as managing industrial units, agricultural activities, and other work programs.
Drawing from these insights, the team submitted a detailed proposal recommending the establishment of a semi-open prison in Colvale.
Dr. Naik Goltekar confirmed that plans and structural designs for the facility are being finalised, adding that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had endorsed the project as part of the government’s budget commitments.
While the exact activities at the Goa facility are yet to be finalised, examples from Yerwada Jail suggest that inmates could manage workshops, vehicle washing units, vegetable cultivation, and dairy farming.
At Yerwada, such initiatives generate revenue and supply food to prison canteens and nearby industrial estates.
Eligibility for the semi-open prison in Goa will be limited to inmates with good conduct records, low escape risk, and those nearing the completion of their sentences, with around 20 prisoners currently qualifying.
The proposed facility will include a dormitory, two workshop blocks, and an additional dormitory to accommodate future expansion, covering 14,000 square metres at an estimated cost of Rs 18.94 crore. The project is expected to create around 14 new posts.
