J&K among 13 States, UTs without exclusive women jails in India: MHA

New Delhi, Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is one of 13 States and Union Territories across India that does not have an exclusive women’s jail, latest government data revealed here on Tuesday.
According to data presented by the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in the Lok Sabha, Jammu & Kashmir, along with several other States such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and others, lacks dedicated facilities for incarcerating female prisoners.
Across India, there are 34 exclusive women’s jails, with some states like Rajasthan (7), Tamil Nadu (5), and Kerala (3) having more developed infrastructure to accommodate female prisoners. However, several regions still rely on general jails to house both male and female prisoners, raising concerns about safety, security, and the overall conditions for women detainees.
“The respective State Governments/UT Administrations are responsible for prison management and the welfare of women inmates and their children,” he said.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) supports these efforts by issuing guidelines. As per MHA, children of female prisoners should be provided education, healthcare, food, shelter, and recreational facilities. The MHA has also circulated the Model Prison Manual 2016, which includes provisions for the care of children living with women inmates