Tamil Nadu plans to shut 16 sub-jails amid low inmate counts

Tamil Nadu will soon close 16 sub-jails after finding that they house very few inmates. Energy and Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar announced this plan while speaking to reporters in Madurai.

Madurai Temple Power Cuts

The minister also addressed recent power cuts at the Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple during visits by VIPs. Former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami faced a power outage when a generator switch was changed to the electricity board unit. A separate power cut happened during Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan's visit because a generator switch was turned off too early. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department will take action against the assistant electrical engineer and other responsible officials after an inquiry.

Power Sector And Tenders

To improve power supply across the state, authorities are setting up a monitoring team to replace old transformers and power lines. The government has also stopped old tenders that included party funds and extra costs, and a new tender for power procurement will be called after November 5. According to Polimer News, officials canceled previous tenders because some companies formed a syndicate to quote higher prices, and new safety equipment will be bought through tenders within two months.

Security Reviews

Following an incident where prisoners escaped from the Theni jail, the state has ordered security and process reviews across all prisons in Tamil Nadu. The government is also filling vacant posts in the prison department.

Context

Sub-jails in Tamil Nadu generally house under-trial prisoners or those serving short sentences before they are moved to larger central prisons. Closing under-occupied facilities helps the state government use public funds and prison staff more efficiently. Meanwhile, upgrading power infrastructure and reviewing tender processes are common steps governments take to improve public services and prevent corruption.