New Delhi, March 25 As many as 458 prisoners have benefited so far under the Centre's 'Support to Poor Prisoners' scheme, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
This information was provided in response to a question by TMC MP Saket Gokhale, who asked whether the government could state the "reasons why the undertrial population in Indian prisons remains chronically above 75 per cent, despite the introduction of fast-track courts and digitized bail systems; the status of the 'Support for Poor Prisoners' scheme; and whether Government is considering a statutory cap on prison occupancy rates".
In the written reply, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the scheme, launched in 2023, aims to provide financial assistance to prisoners who are unable to pay fines or secure bail due to financial constraints.
"According to the data reported by states and UTs, 458 prisoners have since benefited from the Scheme," he said.
He added that revised guidelines and a standard operating procedure were shared with all states and Union territories on December 2, 2025, to improve implementation.
The minister said "Police" and "Public Order" are state subjects, placing the primary responsibility for prison management with state governments.
However, he highlighted several legal reforms undertaken by the Centre, including provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita mandating the release of first-time offenders after serving one-third of their maximum sentence, and the introduction of community service for petty offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The minister also pointed to measures such as mandatory forensic investigation for serious crimes and legal recognition of digital evidence to reduce delays in trials.
On prison overcrowding, Kumar said states and Union territories are responsible for expanding prison infrastructure based on local requirements, including constructing additional barracks and jails.
According to the latest NCRB data, nearly three-fourths of prison inmates in India in 2023 were undertrials. Of the total prison population of about 5.3 lakh, around 3.9 lakh were awaiting trial and had not been convicted.
However, the share of undertrials has shown a marginal decline in recent years, dropping from 77 per cent in 2021 to 76 per cent in 2022 and further to 74 per cent in 2023.