Sat Dec 21 00:58:50 UTC 2024: ## Maharashtra Passes Bill to Reform Prison System
**Nagpur, December 21, 2024** – The Maharashtra Assembly passed a landmark bill on Friday, December 20, 2024, aimed at modernizing and reforming the state’s prison system. The Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2024, is modeled after the central government’s Model Prisons Bill, 2023.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the construction of a high-security prison and detention center in Mumbai, along with a new two-story facility in Pune. He also highlighted a concerning statistic: 1,600 individuals on bail remain incarcerated due to inability to afford bail bonds.
The new legislation introduces various prison categories, including special prisons, open prisons for women, temporary prisons, and open colonies. The open facilities are designed to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of former inmates. The bill also establishes a dedicated “prison and correctional prison force” and creates welfare funds for both staff and prisoners.
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