After Chapati and Chicken Curry, Inmates of Poojappura Central Prison will Sell Tailored Shirts

This Onam, find high quality shirts, specially tailored by the inmates of Poojappura Central Prison, at just Rs. 260 in Kerala. What a great way to celebrate the harvest festival! 

​Vocational training programmes have gained momentum in Indian prisons since the popularity of the food making and automotive manufacturing unit in Tihar Jail. This year on Onam, Kerala will witness another lucrative fruit of one such programme, with inmates from Poojappura Central Prison selling high quality shirts at cheap prices to reach out to the common man.

Photo Source: haloblackwaters

Poojappurra Central Prison was established in 1914 and is one of the three central prisons in the state of Kerala. It also had a chapati and chicken curry selling programme which had received much love and popularity. This time the inmates have designed and stitched new shirts that will hit the markets of Kerala around Onam, which is the harvest festival of the state. These ready-made cotton shirts will be sold under the brand name of Samraksh.

The prison has all new and modern equipment like sewing and buttonhole machines. To accommodate the inmates-turned-tailors-and-designers, along with the 14 available machines, the pre-existing tailoring unit in the prison has been modified. A few select inmates have also received special training in shirt making.

Photo for representational purpose only. Source: terryredding

The focus of this programme is to produce or manufacture cost-effective and high-quality shirts which can be a choice for the common man amidst the plethora of expensive, branded clothing. Initially, the production will be small scale, but later the prison officials might rope in designers. The current price at which the shirts will be sold is Rs. 260 and officials are hoping that this venture too gains much love from people like the homemade chicken curry and chapati model did.

The idea is to provide inmates with possible means of livelihood once they are released. Most of the inmates look forward to rehabilitation. The other fields that the prisoners are being trained in include driving, hi-tech farming and more.

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