The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had prepared a ‘Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act’ in the year 2023 and had forwarded it to all States and Union Territories (UTs) on 10th May, 2023 for adoption in their respective jurisdictions. States/UTs were advised to make use of the Model Act and enact a suitable legislation on Prisons in their respective jurisdictions. So far, no State Government has confirmed to MHA about the adoption of the Model Prisons Act in their jurisdiction.

However, the Model Prison Manual, forwarded to all States and Union Territories in the year 2016, which aims at bringing in uniformity in the basic principles governing prisons and correctional institutions across the country, has been adopted by 21 States and all 8 Union Territories.

1. : No specific standards regarding libraries in prisons have been prescribed in the Model Prisons Act.
2. : Since “Prisons” is a “State-list” subject as per Entry 4 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, it is for the State Governments concerned to make appropriate budgetary provisions for prison library infrastructure in their respective jurisdictions.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

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RK/VV/RR/HS/PS/PR

(Release ID: 2153179)