Nagaland’s first prisoner-run petrol pump inaugurated in Dimapur

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• M/S Ummeed Prison Welfare Service Station, next to District Jail Dimapur, was officially inaugurated on Tuesday. (EM Images)

• DIMAPUR — In a unique and maiden venture, the state Prisons Department on Monday officially inaugurated M/S Ummeed Prison Welfare Service Station here at Oriental colony, next to District Jail Dimapur.
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• The petrol pump, a part of reformatory measures for the inmates, is run by the department and convicted released prisoners with good morale behaviour will be given the opportunity for employment.
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• Advisor of Prison and Printing and Stationery, Kropol Vitsu, who inaugurated the service station, in his address, said that the pilot project was initiated with an aim to provide employment opportunities to long-term incarcerated individuals and support their rehabilitation.

Kropol Vitsu (EM Images)

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• The advisor acknowledged Director General of Police Rupin Sharma for initiating the project and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for promptly consenting to it.
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• Vitsu emphasised that the primary objective of the petrol pump is not for commercial profit but for the welfare and rehabilitation of inmates: funds generated from the station will be used to provide wages for the prisoners working within the jail, as per the Supreme Court guidelines.
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• On challenges faced during the land acquisition process, particularly with the clearance issues at Central Jail Dimapur, he urged the public to support developmental initiatives.
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• The advisor further said that the project is expected contribute to the overall development of the state, as well as serve as a model for other states in the region.
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• DGP (Prisons), Renchamo P Kikon, in his address, remarked that the day is a ‘Red Letter Day’ for the department as the service station represents a paradigm shift in social viewpoint towards prisoners.
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• Maintaining that prisons are increasingly becoming reformative institutions aimed at rehabilitation, Kikon said the project is a testament to the belief that every individual has the potential for change, and even those who have been incarcerated can aspire to rebuild their lives.
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• He also informed that the Ummeed Prison Welfare Service Station, operational since December 23, 2024, is managed by “nine trained offenders” under the supervision of the jailor of the district jail.
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• Delivering a brief report of the station, Inspector General of Prisons, Imtiangshi Ao, highlighted the collaborative efforts of the project, which began in 2021 under then DGP (Prisons) Rupin Sharma.
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• He recalled that the Prisons department had applied for two retail outlet dealerships from IOCL, which were approved in early 2022. The Government of Nagaland granted approval to establish the petrol pumps under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, with land leasing agreements finalised by July 2022.
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• Imtiangshi said that since the station began operations, it has received positive customer feedback.
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• The project is part of a larger initiative to train and employ prisoners and released convicts, helping to reduce recidivism by offering them a path to reintegrate into society, he added.
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• DGP Rupin Sharma, who also spoke on the occasion, said that though the petrol pump has been successfully established, the project for Central Jail Dimapur is still facing legal challenges due to land-related issues.
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• Sharma however expressed optimism that the success of the district jail’s service station will inspire the villages surrounding the central jail to allow the project to proceed, recognising the positive impact it would have on the community.
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• Sharma emphasised the broader economic benefits of the project, pointing out that it is not merely about generating revenue but also creating employment and fostering economic growth in the area.