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Introduction


Arunachal Pradesh - earlier known as NEFA (North East Frontier Agency), was under the administration of Assam till 1972 and became Union Territory on 20th February 1972 and it became full pledge state of the Union of India on 20th February 1987. Since Agency days the Prison system used to be – by sending all the convicts of different Districts/Session Court to different Jails in Assam like Tezpur, Lakhimpur and Dibrugarh Jails.

 

Prisons in Arunachal Pradesh started with the grant of ten crore by the 11th Finance Commission vide Govt. of India No. 40/18/99-PRISONS/BPR&D Dated 17/08/2000 for creation of Jail infrastructures in the State of Arunachal Pradesh. Government of Arunachal Pradesh - created a Directorate of Prisons for prison administration and correctional service Vide No.HMB(B)-48/2000 Dated 18/4/2006.Commissioner &Secretary (Home) appointed as ex-officio I.G.Prison Vide No.HMB (B)-54/86 Vol-I dated 1/12/2005. Now, nomenclature of the “Directorate of Prisons” has been changed to “Directorate of Prisons & Correctional Administration” vide notification No.JHQ/ADMN-01/2017/1000 dated 28-11-2017. Still Prisons in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the youngest in India and it is still in infant stage.

 

  1. Out of 11th Finance Commission grant the following District Jails were constructed in 2004-2005:

District Jails - 2 (two) one at Jully, ItanagarJully and another at Tezu

The District Jail Jully operationalized w.e.f 3rd November’ 2009 March’2015 with a lodging capacity of 56 inmates initially and later increased to 156 with the construction of additional 100 inmates’ capacity cell. The UTPs of Itanagar, Naharlagun and Banderdewa Police Stations are lodged here and Convicts of Western part of AP are also lodged in District Jail Jully Itanagar.


To reach Jail Headquarter & District Jail Jully:


  1. i) Nearest Railway Station - Naharlagun (approx. 11 kms)
  2. ii) Nearest Airport –
  • Donyi Polo Airport (IATA: HGI), located in Hollongi, roughly 25 kilometres south of the capital city(approx. 35–45 minutes’ drive via NH415).
  • Lilabari Airport: Located in North Lakhimpur, Assam72 km (approx. 2 hours’ drive).

iii) Civil Secretariat - Itanagar (approx. 7 kms)

The District Jail Tezu started functioning w.e.f 18th March’2015 with a lodging capacity of 56 inmates. The UTPs of Lohit District and Convicts of Eastern part of AP are lodged in District Jail Tezu.
To reach District Jail Tezu:


  1. i) Nearest Railway Station - Tinsukia (approx. 126 kms)
  2. ii) Nearest Airport - Dibrugarh (approx.176 kms)

 

  1. Out of 11th Finance Commission grant the following Sub- Jails were also constructed in 2004-2005:

Sub - Jails - 7 (seven) at Koloriang, Yingkiong, Along, Pasighat, Changlang, Khonsa and Longding,

 

The 7 sub-jails could not operationalised till date due to lack of manpower in Prison Department and it is under the jurisdiction of respective concerned District Administration.

  1. Undergoing construction of “CentralPrison and Correctional Centre” at kimin, lower sher, papumpare District Arunachal Pradesh. Notified vide No.HOME-12023/13/2025/219 Dated the 22nd May’2024, Published in AP Gazette No.10 Vol xxxvi Naharlagun, Saturday, May, Jyaistha 10.1947 (Saka) 31 2025

 

Project Concept: Arunachal Pradesh’s first Central Jail-turned-“CentralPrison and Correctional Centre”, shifting from retribution to rehabilitation.

 

Location: Lower Sher, Kimin, Papum Pare District, Arunachal Pradesh.

 

Campus Scale: 98 Hectares.

 

Target Delivery: Operational rollout spanning the 2027–2028 timeline.

 

FINANCIAL & OPERATIONAL BREAKDOWN

Total Approved Project Cost:₹228.14 Crore.

 

Allocated & utilizedup to LFY 2025-26:₹150.00 Crore.

 

Current Fiscal Status: The Prison Department has formally sought the early release of the remaining ₹78.14 Crore balance within the Current Financial Year (CFY) to prevent operational bottlenecks.

 

Phase-I Intake Capacity: 500 Prisoners (Structured across secure, demographic-specific blocks).

 

CORE REFORMATIVE INITIATIVES

Higher Education: An active partnership with Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) offering accredited open and distance learning degrees (B.A. and M.A. tracks) to eligible inmates.

 

Vocational Workshops: Segregated training zones for Handloom & Textile Weaving, Carpentry/Woodworking Labs, Information Technology (IT) Literacy Hubs, and Agri-tech Cultivation.

 

Self-Sustainability: Inmates will cultivate organic vegetables inside the agricultural zone, feeding the campus internally and supplying regional government needs.

 

Holistic Healthcare: Integrated medical tracks providing focused medical care for chronic malnutrition and tuberculosis, paired with mandatory weekly mental health counselling.

 

Once, the infrastructure construction is completed, all the convict inmates of entire District of Arunachal Pradesh will be shifted to the “Prisons and Correctional Centre” at Kimin.

To reach “-“Central Prison and Correctional Centre” at Kimin
i) Nearest Railway Station – Harmuti Junction in Assam (approx. 44 kms) and Naharlagun Railway station in Arunachal Pradesh (approx.62 Kms)

  1. ii) Nearest Airport - Lilabari Airport (approx.32 Kms and Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi/Itanagar is about 110 km.