Manipur prisons department marked a historic milestone on Monday with its first-ever Raising Day celebration, as Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh called for a stronger focus on correction, reformation and rehabilitation. The event was held at Manipur Central Prison in Imphal and marked 134 years since the department’s establishment.
The first Raising Day brought together senior officials and prison personnel to recognise the department’s long service and highlight the need to modernise correctional facilities. The Chief Minister also drew attention to staff shortages and infrastructure needs, signalling a focus on strengthening the prison system.
Manipur prisons department marks 134 years
The celebration marked 134 years of the state’s correctional administration. According to reports, the department was established in 1892, but Monday’s event was its first Raising Day celebration. Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam described the occasion as a significant milestone and said the department had not received due recognition earlier to hold such an event.
Chief Minister Khemchand Singh attended the programme as chief guest at Manipur Central Prison. He said the occasion should also serve as an opportunity to rethink the purpose of prisons and the treatment of people held there.
The Chief Minister stressed that a person kept behind bars should not be treated as a convict unless guilt has been established according to law. He said prisons should provide opportunities for moral correction, reformation and rehabilitation rather than functioning only as places of confinement.
Focus on reform and rehabilitation
The emphasis on rehabilitation reflects a broader correctional approach in which inmates are given opportunities to prepare for life after release. The Manipur prisons department has faced growing demands for legal assistance, welfare support and vocational opportunities for inmates.
In June, the Manipur State Legal Services Authority organised a legal awareness and welfare programme at Manipur Central Jail. Officials highlighted free legal aid, vocational training and livelihood programmes designed to help prisoners become self-reliant after release. Legal Aid Clinics are also functioning in the state’s two prisons.
The programme also highlighted the importance of specialist medical and psychiatric consultations for inmates through video conferencing. Such measures form part of wider efforts to address the welfare and rehabilitation needs of people in custody.
Staff shortages and prison modernisation
Manpower shortages emerged as another key issue during the Raising Day programme. Senior officials had apprised the Chief Minister of vacancies in the department. Singh suggested that vacant posts could be filled through the Die-in-Harness Scheme or direct recruitment, depending on the applicable rules.
The government also indicated that it would support efforts to upgrade and modernise prison infrastructure to meet present-day requirements.
A separate report said the 134-year-old Manipur Central Jail is expected to undergo structural reconstruction and modernisation after the Chief Minister reviewed its condition. The government is also considering recruitment to address the shortage of jail personnel.
The infrastructure push comes as the state faces the wider challenge of bringing correctional facilities in line with contemporary standards of custody, security and rehabilitation.
Open correctional facilities also in focus
Reform efforts in Manipur are also connected with the development of open and semi-open correctional facilities. In an August 2026 order, the Manipur High Court noted that Sectors 6 and 7 of Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, had been earmarked for establishing open correctional institutions or open/semi-open barracks. The proceedings were linked to directions from the Supreme Court concerning open correctional institutions.
Such facilities are intended to support correctional approaches that can help eligible inmates gradually prepare for reintegration into society, subject to applicable rules and judicial directions.
Recognition for prison personnel
The Raising Day programme also recognised the contribution of prison officials and staff. During the event, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh decorated S.K. Bhadrika, Superintendent of Manipur Central Jail, Imphal, with a medal for exemplary service.
Bhadrika had earlier received the President’s Correctional Service Medal for Distinguished Service on Independence Day in 2024. The recognition added a service-oriented dimension to the first Raising Day celebration.
The department also organised a 5-km run as part of the celebrations, with prizes presented to the winners. Senior officials attending the programme included Nagaland DGP Rupin Sharma, Manipur DGP (Prisons) Arvind Kumar and ADGP I.K. Muivah.
The first Raising Day has therefore combined recognition of the department’s 134-year history with a renewed focus on reform, staffing and infrastructure. For Manipur, the emphasis on rehabilitation signals an effort to strengthen prisons as correctional institutions while maintaining lawful custody and public safety.
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