According to superintendent, BN Pandey, the Kanpur district jail has opened a food outlet that will be managed by both present and former inmates as part of what it calls a novel prisoner reform project. Satyadev Pachauri, the MP for Kanpur, officially opened the store on 10th December, and it opened for business the next day.
Isn’t it a great initiative?
While the jail's current inmates will cook in the jail kitchen, previous inmates will staff the restaurant and oversee home deliveries as the facility hopes to expand its reach online. We are absolutely loving the thought and this is just a step towards a progressive society.
The store sold an amazing ₹5,500 on its opening day, with the majority of the sales coming from family members who were staying in the jail. The majority of the money was made by selling tea, which went for ₹10 each cup, and espresso, which cost ₹20 per cup. Three former prisoners prepared and served the tea, while one took care of the finances.
District magistrate Vishak G. Iyer suggested the concept for the establishment after observing the prisoners' ability to prepare a wide range of dishes for the former jail canteen. “We believe that the initiative will bring a change in the mindset of people behind bars. Also, it will send a message to them that the government is genuinely interested in their rehabilitation,” said Iyer, who provided government funds for the project.
Daily item approval is done by a panel consisting of two jailors and the jail doctor to ensure that the food served at the outlet is of high quality. The jail's administrators predicted a successful business because the facility was adjacent to the collectorate and district court, two places where food is pricey.
Menu Of The Kanpur District Jail Food Joint
First, the prisoners have chosen to serve only highly marketable vegetarian cuisine. The menu will be updated as the restaurant is included on food aggregator websites.
Anil Kumar, the project's nodal officer, stated that the pricing had been kept reasonable. "A thali (meal) costs ₹70 and consists of four rotis, two curries, dal, rice, and salad. This is the most expensive dish on the menu, according to Kumar, who also mentioned that other items like mixed veggie paratha, samosas, noodles, bread-pakora, rajma-rice, kadhi-rice, vada-pav, chola-rice, and puri-sabzi would be offered.
Inmates will receive culinary training from chefs from reputable hotels and institutes to develop their skills and expand their menu. The restaurant will be run by a cooperative society for prisoner welfare and rehabilitation, with officials from the penitentiary system serving on its board. The society has opened a bank account, to which the profits from the outlet will be credited.
We think this is a great step and kudos to the team!
