LAHORE, May 26: The Punjab Prisons Department will construct 760 residences for lower staff and 32 barracks (for 128 warders in each prison) in the 32 jails of the province to meet severe shortage of accommodation.

The schemes proposed to the provincial government for the Annual Development Programme 2013-14 are most likely to be approved by the incoming provincial government, Dawn learnt.

A senior official told this reporter that both schemes would be part of the upcoming budget as the government had assured the authorities of adding schemes in the budget. He said both the schemes would cost approximately Rs350 million and would be completed in the next fiscal year.

He said 24 residences per jail would be constructed for force personnel and clerical staff and their families. He said according to the Prisons Rules, at least 75 per cent of the accommodations were a prerequisite for lower staff in BS-1 to 10 and all jails were short of necessary accommodations.

According to official statistics the Inspectorate of Punjab Prisons has a total strength of around 13,000 out of which more than 11,000 are part of Watch & Ward Force (warders, head warders and chief head warders). Up to 30 per cent of the officials enjoy official accommodations.

The official said currently each jail had up to 50 quarters and most jail warders and head warders lived either in private accommodations alone or with their families, adding the authorities had finally decided to construct residences for their welfare and ensure presence of force in the jail premises to cope with any untoward situation. The Watch & Ward Force works in jails round-the-clock in shifts.

He said a majority of them used to come to jail duty or return home on their own. The construction of residences had become a dire need keeping in view the department’s policy which prevents warders (BS-5), head warders (BS-7) and chief head warders (BS-9) from working outside their home districts.

Similarly, he said, currently one to two barracks (Warder Lines) existed for warders with single status in each jail.

The official also informed this reporter that the government had also approved a departmental proposal to construct the state-of-the-art Punjab Prisons Staff Training College in Sahiwal’s Central Jail in the next fiscal year at an estimated cost of Rs428 million. He said the government would release Rs100 million in the first phase in July this year for the project.

He said the college would impart training from the rank of jail warder to the deputy superintendent jail.

Currently, there is only one proper training institute (Punjab Prisons Staff Training Institute, Lahore) which imparts training to jail warders.