Coimbatore Central Prison recommend VCF
The Coimbatore Central Prison became the first prison administration in Tamil Nadu to recommend compensation for victims of grave crimes under the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) programme.The compensation is paid out of the earnings of convicts employed in workshops or mills in various Central Prisons.As per a January 2000 order of the State Government, Rs. 60 shall be the daily wages for skilled workers, Rs. 50 for semi-skilled and Rs. 45 for unskilled persons. Of this, 50 per cent of the wages would be retained for the upkeep of prisoners. While 30 per cent is credited into their personal account, 20 per cent is credited into the Victim Compensation Fund.Though each of the Central Prisons — a total of eight for men and three for women — had lakhs of rupees under the fund, no district-level committee had recommended any grant to victims till now.On April 30, following a directive from Additional Director-General of Prisons R. Sekar, the district-level committee met in Coimbatore and recommended compensation to four victims. Lakshmi and Chandrasekaran, both belonging to Coimbatore and legal heirs of murder victims, were awarded Rs. 25,000 each. Two victims of assault/attempt to murder — Mayilvaganan and Silamboli of Ooty — were awarded Rs. 5,000 each.
The meeting was attended, among others, by P. Munivelu, Deputy Inspector-General of Prisons, Coimbatore Range, and S. Rajendran, Superintendent of Prisons, Coimbatore.Welcoming the recommendation for grant under the VCF programme, the Special Public Prosecutor for Human Rights Court, V. Kannadasan, said the authorities should enhance the compensation.The recommendation shall now be considered by a State-level committee comprising the Home Secretary, the Director-General of Police and the Additional Director-General of Prisons.The committee is empowered to approve or disapprove the suggestion and also to modify the quantum of compensation.
