Lucknow: All 70 jails in Uttar Pradesh will now have their in-house radio stations, operated by jail inmates.

UP director general (prison administration and reform services), Anand Kumar, recently inaugurated the 26th in-house radio station in Meerut district jail.

DG Anand Kumar said, “A large number of inmates suffer from depression. We felt it would be a good idea to provide them with some entertainment which can help them divert attention and also fight depression to an extent. We are involving the inmates to run the radio station.”

Apart from playing songs on request, the radio jockey will also read out information on legal and human rights of inmates. Announcements related to court hearings of individual inmates and other recreational activities inside prison will also be made on radio.

“We will also organise lectures on legal and human rights, and provide interface with experts who could suggest legal remedies. In some jails, we have roped in help of professional radio jockeys, who have come to jail and imparted training to interested inmates to sharpen their skills,” said the DG.

Unlike normal radio stations, which work on a particular frequency, customised public address systems used in jail radio network.

A room is allotted for the radio jockey and the station, which includes relay and amplifiers. Speakers are mounted in every barrack. Inmates can put in written requests for songs, which the radio jockey plays after announcing the name of the inmate who made the request.

The state government plans to ensure that all 70 jails in the state will have similar radio stations by the end of next year.