LAHORE, Oct 31: The Punjab government has approved Rs2.38 billion for the construction of barracks and cells for condemned prisoners in provincial jails.

A departmental meeting, chaired by the newly appointed inspector general, was told here on Wednesday that the government had issued orders for the release of funds. Additional bathrooms, repair and maintenance also included in the construction plan.

Explaining the new plan, an official of the department said that 29 provincial jails needed immediate improvement in their infrastructure. They were housing three times more prisoners than the approved capacity. This situation had been the same for many decades and the government was hardpressed to take some corrective measures.

The problem was particularly severe in cells for condemned prisoners. A small barrack, meant for one person, had sometimes nine to 10 prisoners. They could no longer be kept in the same conditions. The allocated money would be spent on separate barracks for children and addicts and provision of fans and watercoolers, he said.