Seldom do we see bureaucrats
being noticed for their creative
work. But one such officer is the
Haryana IG(Prison), KP Singh who has
received the Rajiv Gandhi Hindi Maulik
Lekhan Puraskar from the President of
India. KP Singh shares his experiences
with Bureaucracy Today and says, "Receiving
an award is always a great feeling.
It reassures you that you can
achieve a bigger thing than what you
have got. It was an inspiring moment."
KP Singh, 1985 batch Haryana cadre IPS officer, has been honoured for his book "Manvadhikar Aur Police Tantra." In the present scenario when the common man has the perception that prisoners are ill-treated resulting in custodian deaths, this IPS officer's book has a special message for all the law enforcement agencies like the police, paramilitary forces, the Army and other State agencies that prisoners are their responsibility and they should be treated with due respect. KP Singh has told them that when a person is arrested the security agency or the officer concerned is responsible for maintaining his/her custody with full dignity. Apart from that, the prisoner has the right to get medical aid on time. On being asked about the response he is getting for his book, the IG(Prison) says: "It is getting a good response from police officers."
KP Singh is also doing a lot for Haryana prisons. The IG (Prison) shares some of his work and future plans with Bureaucracy Today.
CHALLENGING ASSIGNMENTS
KP Singh has special assignments at hand for Haryana prisons. He says: "As IG (Prison) I am involved in improving the conditions of jails and making legal aid available to prisoners for their betterment is my passion." He tells Bureaucracy Today is that various distance learning educational programmes run by Indira Gandhi National Open University and the National Institute of Open Schooling have been introduced in all the important jails in Haryana. "Undertaking legal awareness programmes and computerization of prisoners record are the important areas which would attract my attention in the near future," says Singh.
REFORMS TO BE INTRODUCED IN HARYANA PRISONS
KP Singh is not only working for the betterment of Haryana prisoners but also has certain plans for the improvement of jails. He says:"The Haryana Prison Department is geared up to improve the living conditions of prison inmates and the staff. Transparency and respect for human values are the buzz words around which the reforms are designed. Apart from this, computerization is the main agenda which we are going to pursue in the near future. Installation of CCTV cameras to address security concerns is the next project. In addition to this, a citizen charter has been finalized to ensure timebound services to prisoners and their relatives who come to meet them. All officers of the Prison Department are made to attend training sessions on human rights, personality development and stress management."
