 "Furniture made in Tihar jail becomes big hit, bags Rs 5 lakh worth orders")
New Delhi: Furniture manufactured in Tihar by its inmates now have an exclusive showroom in Jail Road Market and has already bagged orders worth Rs five lakh since its inauguration on May 7.
Tihar jail number 2 has a carpentry unit where its inmates are trained in carpentry so that they can use their skills to make a living after release.
The furniture produced in this workshop is sold in the open market for which there is a dedicated showroom now on Jail Road, the renowned furniture market of Delhi.
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Tihar jail number 2 has a carpentry unit where its inmates are trained in carpentry so that they can use their skills to make a living after release. AFP[/caption]
“The showroom was inaugurated on May 7. Orders worth over Rs 5 lakh have already been received. The showroom has been thronged by people many of whom come to buy furniture while some even drop by out of curiosity to see products made by jail inmates,” said Tihar spokesperson Sunil Gupta.
An entire range of furniture from sofa sets to double beds, dining tables and wooden showpieces are on sale. Accounts and administration of the showroom are being managed by the house department of the jail, he said.
“The showroom has so far received an overwhelming response because it delivers quality products at reasonable prices. The wood we use is teak and no compromise is made on the quality of the product. We are getting a warm response from the public and we are very positive regarding the initiative,” said Mr. Gupta.
The carpentry unit of South Asia’s largest prison has been a major source of revenue for the Jail Factory. The prison had registered a record turnover of Rs 32.17 crore in the financial year 2012 - 13 against Rs 12.20 crore recorded during 2011-12. Out of the Rs 32.37 crore, the prison’s carpentry unit had alone generated a business of Rs 23.14 crore.
The furniture used in jail is also made in the jail’s carpentry workshop. The raw material for the unit also comes out from the government supply, said Mr. Gupta.
The Tihar Jail factory comprises units in baking, carpentry, weaving, tailoring, paper-making and shoe-making.
Recently, several inmates also received job offers from private companies at a recruitment drive conducted on the Delhi jail premises.
PTI