MP: A unique initiative to apprise prisoners about govt's public welfare schemes

Mandsaur, May 11 (IANS) In a first-of-its-kind initiative, a district jail in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district organised an awareness programme to impress upon the inmates and prisoners about various public welfare schemes being run by the Central government and also encouraged them to subscribe to them upon release from jail.

The one-of-its-kind camp also saw prisoners getting registered for the wide array of welfare schemes.

The District Legal Services Authority organised the camp in Mandsaur District jail, where prisoners were informed about various schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Pradhan Mantri E-Shram Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Aabha Yojana, and Madhya Pradesh Sambal Yojana.

The relevant identification cards are also being made for the prisoners on a large scale. Prisoners will be able to take advantage of these benefits while in prison and in their normal lives after completing their sentence.

Organisers believe that this will give them the inspiration to become good citizens.

Mandsaur District Jail Superintendent Prem Kumar Singh, speaking to IANS on the unique initiative, said, “Beneficiary cards will be issued to prisoners on a large scale, and it will help transfer the government benefits to them also.

District Manager of Common Service Centre (CSC), Bharat Nagar, said that this facility is being provided to the prisoners as per the instructions of the district administration and probably Mandsaur District Jail in Madhya Pradesh is such a jail, where for the first time, Ayushman cards are being made for these prisoners through CSC.

Close to 500 inmates are likely to benefit from Ayushman Bharat. Once subscribed, they will be entitled to the scheme’s benefits, however, the monetary assistance and other allowances will flow in after they get out of prison.

Notably, Ayushman Bharat cards have turned out to be a game-changer in the healthcare landscape of the country, particularly for the millions of poor and vulnerable families across the country.

--IANS

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