Ever since POS machines were installed at CPRO centres, the families of inmates have started making payments directly into their accounts. Ever since POS machines were installed at CPRO centres, the families of inmates have started making payments directly into their accounts.

On January 2, Rs 30,000 was deposited through point of sale (POS) machines into the accounts of inmates at Tihar Jail. For Sunil Kumar, whose brother is serving a jail term, and Sunita, a jail official who collects money at the cash counter, transactions have become easier since the jail installed 32 POS machines, becoming the first jail in the country to start the cashless transaction process.

The cashless transactions into accounts of inmates started on December 30, 2016. Families of inmates have been asked to deposit money by swapping their cards at machines installed at the Central Public Relations Office (CPRO) at each of the nine jails in Tihar. The limit for each account is Rs 6,000.

A CPRO is located outside each jail, and is looked after by the Tihar Jail security and Delhi Police officers. “We had a coupon system earlier. Now, inmates have individual accounts with a branch of the Indian Bank located on the premises. The families of inmates used to deposit money in cash at the CPRO, from where a jail personnel deposited the money to the bank account of the inmate,” said Director Gen-eral (Tihar) Sudhir Yadav.

“Ever since POS machines were installed at CPRO centres, the families of inmates have started making payments directly into their accounts. From day one, transactions through machines were hugely popular. The staff is being sensitised and trained to use the machines,” he added.

Yadav said the central government has also recognised the initiative. “Tihar has more than 14,000 inmates in nine jails. The machines are installed at CPROs of each jail. We have also installed POS machines in other centres, including Tihar Haat,” said Yadav.

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