The Barpeta District Jail, located in lower Assam, has transformed from a traditional prison to an agricultural hub, with inmates engaging in multi-crop farming.
The sprawling jail complex, covering 127 bighas (almost 42 acres), is now home to vast fields of mustard, vegetables, fruit trees, and even a mini bee farm, alongside rare crops like apple berries.
The jail houses 335 inmates, including 325 men and 10 women, and generates revenue for the government through the sale of agricultural produce.
Over the April-December period last year, the jail earned over Rs 1 lakh from the sale of its produce.
Barpeta District Jail Superintendent, Pranjal Kumar Sarma, explained the initiative’s inception: “I, along with the jailer, got transferred to this prison around a year ago. At that time, only paddy farming was done. We decided to go for multi-cropping to utilise the land throughout the year,” he said.
Sarma highlighted the mental health benefits of the initiative, saying, “The inmates are always mentally stressed due to their jail terms and for staying away from home. We tried to reduce their stress level by engaging them in productive work. They laugh and share jokes with each other while working in the fields.”
He emphasised that all produce is organic, with no chemical fertilisers used.
Jailer Nilotpal Kakati added that the multi-cropping project began in April 2024 after the clearing of unused land.
“We could utilise only 35-40 bighas of land as there is a shortage of manpower. Though we have over 300 inmates, we could engage only 20-25 of them serving rigorous imprisonment due to legal restrictions. The law does not allow the rest to work in the fields,” Kakati said.
Kakati also revealed that the jail authorities plan to expand farming activities this year and potentially explore outside markets for the produce.
Currently, local vendors collect the vegetables, and approximately 1,000 kg of vegetables were consumed by the inmates last year, resulting in significant savings.
The jail also has a small fishery and a berry farm producing around 200 trees with rare fruit varieties, including Apple Berry, Miss India, and Thailand Berry.
Kakati claimed that berry farming in an Indian jail is a first.
The Barpeta civil administration has acknowledged the success of the project.
Barpeta Additional District Commissioner Jayanta Bora lauded the efforts, stating, “Being engaged with agriculture could inadvertently help the inmates step away from a life of crime and become honest citizens.”
Established in 1970, Barpeta Jail has undergone significant changes, with agriculture now playing a key role in rehabilitation and revenue generation.
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