The Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Madhya Pradesh Jail Department to train officials in improving the mental health of distressed prisoners in the state’s jails. The agreement was inked on Thursday between the two parties, marking a significant step towards enhancing the well-being of mentally ill inmates.
Under the MoU, selected officers and employees from the Jail Department will undergo a Master Trainer Course at the RRU in Gandhinagar. Upon completing the training, these individuals will be responsible for training other personnel as Master Trainers, who will then provide counseling services to prisoners. This initiative aims to establish a robust support system for mentally distressed inmates, ultimately leading to the establishment of Psychosocial Counselling Centres in various prisons across the state.
The first such centre will be set up in the Central Jail, Bhopal, with plans to expand to other prisons in the future. Madhya Pradesh Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Varun Kapoor, has been instrumental in driving this initiative, having studied the Psychosocial Counselling Scheme run by the RRU under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Kapoor’s efforts have already shown positive results, with a seven-day training programme conducted in July, where 28 officers and employees from various prisons underwent training and provided counseling services to mentally distressed prisoners.
The feedback from the trained personnel has been encouraging, prompting the signing of the MoU to implement the project on a larger scale. The collaboration between the RRU and the Madhya Pradesh Jail Department is expected to bring about a significant improvement in the mental health and well-being of prisoners in the state’s jails.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Prison Department, including Special Director General G Akheto Sema, and Shubham Jain from the RRU. The initiative is a crucial step towards addressing the mental health needs of prisoners and providing them with the necessary support and counseling services.
