Tihar Jail goes digital with 90 per cent cashless transactions

New Delhi: The inmates of Tihar Jail are a proud lot after they are amongst the first ones to go cashless and adapt to a digital payment mode. With over 22 POS machines installed and with almost 99 per cent cashless transaction, the Tihar Jail may become nation’s first prison to promote cashless transactions.

Speaking to this newspaper, director general (Prisons) Sudhir Yadav said, “Earlier, there were over nine jails but now we have 12 and in all the 12 jails we have installed POS machines for cashless transactions. The process began from December 30 last year. The families are now directly depositing money by swapping their cards at POS machines installed at Central public relations office located at all 12 jails. Earlier, the families used to RTGS the money, but now they can directly deposit into the inmate’s accounts. The families of prisoners who are not in Delhi can directly wire the money to the individual accounts.”

“The POS machines have also been installed at Tihar Haat where buyers who come in large number to buy products made by prison inmates can swipe the cards and leave with a smile. We have tied up with Indian Bank who has facilitated the inmates with pre-paid card facility. The limit of the card is Rs 6,000 per month as the inmates would not be needing more than that therefore the wages earned by inmates get automatically credited to their prisoners’ property account, which in turn they can use with the pre-paid cards after recharging it and use for buying personal items from the prison canteen. However, a handful of inmates are yet to go cashless as they are illiterate and have no bank accounts. Hence, we have availed cash facility for them and at the same time sensitising them on how to go digital,” he added.

According to another official, since the authorities have introduced the system to go cashless, it has eased the process of financial transactions and have also boosted the morale of jail inmates as well as jail staffers.