Sat Feb 01 20:18:07 IST 2025: ## Government Allocates ₹5 Crore to Bail Out Indigent Prisoners

**New Delhi:** The Indian government has allocated ₹5 crore (approximately $600,000 USD) in its 2025-26 budget to assist prisoners languishing in jail due to inability to pay bail or fines. This initiative, under the ‘Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act’ 2023, aims to address the issue of wrongful imprisonment due to poverty.

The funds will be channeled through Legal Service Clinics established within jails by State Legal Services Authorities. These clinics provide free legal aid, managed by empaneled advocates and trained para-legal volunteers.

Last year’s allocation of ₹20 crore proved largely unused due to a lack of applications from states and union territories. To streamline the process, the Home Ministry urged states to establish dedicated accounts and empowered committees at district and state levels to efficiently process applications and disburse funds. These committees, working with District Legal Services Authorities and prison officials, will review cases and approve bail or fine payments. A nodal officer in each state will act as a liaison with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The funds will flow through a subsidiary account at the state level, mapped onto the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). The government hopes these measures will improve the utilization of funds and ensure timely release of eligible prisoners.

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