NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar Reviews Issues Faced by Women Inmates at Nanded District Prison

Nanded, July 2026 : National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar visited the Nanded District Prison on Saturday and interacted with women inmates to understand the challenges they face. Emphasising the need for stronger rehabilitation measures, she directed officials to focus on skill development, mental health support, legal assistance and improved basic facilities for women prisoners.

The visit was attended by District Prison Superintendent Sampat Ade, District Legal Services Authority Secretary Sharad Deshpande, Personal Assistant Santosh Kulkarni, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Women and Child Development Department Prashant Thorat, Women and Child Development Officer Ganesh Wagh, Assistant Superintendents V.S. Meshram and Dayawant Kalbande, and social worker Shilpa Narwade, among others.

During her interaction with the women inmates, Rahatkar enquired about their personal difficulties, the facilities available inside the prison and the need for free legal aid through the District Legal Services Authority.

Later, in a meeting with prison officials and representatives of the District Legal Services Authority, she discussed several measures aimed at improving the welfare and rehabilitation of women prisoners. These included the possibility of setting up an Anganwadi centre within the prison premises for the children of women inmates, providing skill development training, establishing a library, promoting creative activities through non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and ensuring regular counselling services.

Highlighting the importance of mental health, Rahatkar recommended that qualified psychologists conduct regular counselling sessions for women inmates. She also suggested that social workers visit the prison at least twice a week to understand and address the inmates’ concerns.

In addition, she advised that activities such as yoga, meditation, personality development programmes, and religious and social awareness sessions should be organised in collaboration with NGOs to support the emotional well-being and rehabilitation of women prisoners.

The NCW Chairperson also instructed the prison administration to strengthen the prison’s infrastructure and improve essential amenities available to women inmates. She reviewed the existing facilities and sought details about future plans for expanding infrastructure and improving services.

During the visit, Rahatkar inspected the prison kitchen where meals are prepared for inmates and reviewed the food distribution system. She also visited the video conferencing facility used for e-interviews that enable women inmates to communicate virtually with their family members. Officials briefed her on the functioning of the system and the arrangements made to facilitate virtual interactions with relatives.

The visit underscored the National Commission for Women’s commitment to ensuring the welfare, dignity and rehabilitation of women inmates by promoting better living conditions, legal support and opportunities for personal development within correctional institutions.