Additional Reporting Requirements For Milk Dealers: Fill & Download for Free

This could probably be my longest post in Quora so far. Sincere apologies for the long post.I'd like to mention 3 examples of corporate greed: (tl; dr)1. General Motor's Electric Car General Motors EV1.How the General Motor killed the electric car which could have been revolutionary, but ended up becoming just that - "a could have been".2. Tetra Ethyl Lead (TEL) anti-knocking additive in petroleumGreed of an auto maker combined with the insane commitments of the inventor who was hell bent on passing off TEL as a safe alternative.3. Sanlu baby food scandal (China)Greed of a respected corporation, which cost several infant lives and fall of the company from its grace.Brace yourselves...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. General Motors EV-1 (The could have been electric car revolution)General Motors introduced the first commercially produced electric car in USA in the year 1996. It was sold until the year 1999. General Motors was compelled to sell this car in USA mainly due to a mandate by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that made the production and sale of zero emission vehicles a requirement for the major automakers selling cars in the United States to continue to market their vehicles in California.THE General Motors EV1The following are the peculiarities of this car:- The EV1 was made available through limited lease-only agreements, initially to residents of the cities of Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. These cars were not available for purchase and were serviceable only at select GM dealer locations.- These EV 1 customers were subject to real world engineering evaluation and market study by the GM R&D. Over a period of 1996-99 over 1100 EV1s were produced.- The customer response to this car was massively positive and many of them used this car for daily transport rather than just a novelty. But yet GM believed that electric cars occupied an unprofitable niche of the automobile market, and ended up crushing all their electric cars.- All the major auto-makers litigated against CARB for its restrictive regulations and won the case by dampening the laws in their favour.Now contrary to the expectations of GM as well as other auto industry pundits this car did extremely well. It became a part of the lifestyle of all its user and they simply loved all the aspects of this car. The EV1's drag coefficient of 0.19 was the lowest of any production automobile in history. The car's top speed was electronically limited to 80 mph (129 km/h). The car had a limited range of 50-60 mile for a single charge. Even on the safety front the EV1 scored a 3 star rating which was commendable.In spite of the tremendous response of the customers this car was discontinued and all the cars were recalled. As the EV1s were leased to the customers, GM was technically the owner of the car. Hence they were taken back by GM, in some cases forcefully and crushed.Every single EV 1 sold in the US was recalled and met the same fate. So why was this very popular car killed.In 2002 GM announced that it could not sell enough of the cars to make the EV1 profitable and hence it was discontinued. But many people believed that GM was wary of the emergence of the Electric car which could jeopardize the Gas Guzzler cars. Also as the electric car had fewer moving parts it could possibly eat into the extremely profitable spare part business.This and many other theories are the premise of the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? I would strongly recommend readers to watch this documentary.This documentary discusses the various possible angles which resulted in the cancellation of the EV1 Programme.CAR DESIGN (Particularly batteries)It was claimed by GM that the batteries were a limiting factor in the development of the car. An average American driver used the car for 30 Miles of distance everyday according to the late 90s standards. But the car had a range of around 60 miles.Honda and Toyota were able to demonstrate their EV with ranges upwards of 100+ Miles.Ovonics, the battery supplier for the EV 1 project was restricted by GM on disclosing better performing batteries under their licensing agreement. Later on GM would buy controlling stake in the company and sell them to oil major Chevron.OIL CORPORATIONSOil corporations had a major role in the destroying the electric car. Lobby groups like the, Western States Petroleum Association ran financial campaigns to sabotage the EV program.Mobil and other oil companies advertised directly against electric cars in national publications, even when electric cars seemed little to do with their core business.Chevron bought patents and controlling interest in Ovonics, the battery company which supplied to the EV 1. And limited them from releasing the advanced NiMh batteries to improve the car's performance.AUTO-MAKERS (the major culprits)GM firstly cited production costs as the major factor for scrapping the EV 1 program. But experts claimed that costs would have reduced with further mass production. EVs also threatened dealer profits since they had so few service requirements—no tuneups, no oil changes, and less brake jobs because of regenerative braking.Car makers engaged in both positive and negative marketing of the electric car as their intentions towards CARB regulations changed. They ran customer surveys which emphasized drawbacks to electronic vehicle technology which were not actually present in the EV1.GM also tried self-sabotaging their EV program with their reluctance to sell the car directly to the customers and only leasing them.US GOVT & C.A.R.B.The federal government under the George W. Bush joined the auto industry suit against the CARB. Bush's chief of staff Andrew Card had recently been head of the American Automobile Manufacturers Alliance in California and is supposed to have helped the industry interests against the California mandate.CARB finally caved to industry pressure and drastically scaled back the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate after defending the regulation for more than 12 years.Hence to cut a long story short the EV 1 was killed by proprietors as well as other factors. This car which had seemingly no drawbacks was banished to oblivion when it could have revolutionized the auto industry. And possibly reduced the environmental impact of the gas guzzling contemporaries by at least a decade. Hopefully the Tesla Model S will be the new revolution and not just a could have been like the General Motors EV 1.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. TETRA ETHYL LEAD (TEL) (the anti-knocking agent)We are all aware of the havoc Tetraethyl Lead (TEL) has created over decades. Leaded petrol (gasoline) and other petroleum products. The use of this compound as an anti-knocking agent was a serendipitous discovery made by a chemist Thomas Midgley, Jr.. working at General Motors. Yeah General Motors again!!THOMAS MIDGLEY Jr.Thomas worked as a chemist at GM and discovered the use of TEL as an anti-knocking agent in December 1921. The company named the compound simply as "ETHYL" avoiding all the mention of 'Lead' in the product. The along with Midgley and his director Kettering promoted the TEL as a better alternative over ethanol blended fuels. The major motivation to do so was the meager profits they earned on the ethanol blended fuels.The harmful effects of the lead based chemical soon started affecting Midgley."After about a year's work in organic lead," he wrote in January 1923, "I find that my lungs have been affected and that it is necessary to drop all work and get a large supply of fresh air."Midgley proceeded to Florida for further recovery and stayed away from the lab work for a while. GM floated the General Motors Chemical Company (GMCC) with Midgley as the Vice-President for producing TEL. Within a year of the plant's operation around 10 people lost their lives. GM also started another facility with the Standard Oil Company at New Jersey but within two months of operation the facility was plagued with five deaths and several cases of poisoning, insanity etc.In 1925 the U.S. Public Health Service conducted press conferences and campaigns to ban TEL and stop its production. Midgley also responded with demonstrations during his own press conferences.Midgley participated in a press conference to demonstrate the apparent safety of TEL. In this demonstration, he poured TEL over his hands, then placed a bottle of the chemical under his nose and inhaled its vapor for sixty seconds, declaring that he could do this every day without succumbing to any problems whatsoever.The US agency eventually stopped the production at the New Jersey facility anyways. In the 70s the Environmental Protection Agency sought to phase down the concentration of TEL in fuels it was eventually completely phased out in 1995. But various developing nations across the world still used TEL as an additive well into the late 90s and early 2000s. It was only in 2011 that UN declared the world free off TEL.Ironically Midgley suffered from severe lead poisoning in his late 40s. He was relieved from duties at GMCC and asked to step down due to deteriorating health. In 1940, at the age of 51, Midgley contracted poliomyelitis, which left him severely disabled. He was constantly bed ridden and he devised a pulley system for helping others lift him off the bed. He would later get strangulated by this mechanism itself while trying to operate it.Midgley was also the inventor of several CFC's which have had tremendous impact on the environment. But their dangerous effects were only discovered several decades after Midgley's death.J.R McNeill, an environmental historian, opines that Midgley "had more impact on the atmosphere than any other single organism in Earth's history."----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. SANLU BABY FOOD SCANDAL (CHINA)The now defunct Sanlu Group was a state-owned Chinese dairy products company. It produced one of the oldest and most popular brands of infant food in China. Fonterra, a New Zealand company held the 43% stake in the company.In September 2008, Sanlu came to international attention due to product concerns regarding its infant formula, which was discovered to have been contaminated with melamine, a non-alimentary chemical which causes kidney stones. An estimated 300,000 babies became ill, and six cases resulted in death.The concerns regarding the formula were raised in December 2007 but no action was taken by the company. Sanlu continued to keep its product on the shelf. In August 2008 the Fonterra Executives in New Zealand were alerted of the possible contamination. There was an immediate trade recall, but Fonterra said that local (Chinese) administrators refused an official recall. It was only after the intervention of then New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark that the recall was enforced by the Chinese Government.Warning Signs Ignored:The Chinese media had covered the story of milk adulteration and contamination in July 2008, but it was largely ignored by the Company and the government. The state run media also did not cover this story. It was also reported that there was a steep increase in infants suffering from kidney ailments due to the melamine contamination. There were also several attempts to cover up the incident and gross negligence on the part of the company. Sanlu began receiving complaints about sick infants as far back as December 2007, but did no tests until June 2008. Sanlu also sought cooperation with major search engines to censor negative information during the media furore.2008 Chinese milk scandalThe Aftermath:Several Sanlu executives were tried and sentenced to imprisonment. Former General Manager Tain Wenhua was sentenced to life imprisonment while four other executives received 5-15 years in prison. Two other were also sentenced to death. Sanlu filed for bankruptcy and yet was ordered to pay 50 million Yuan in damages.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------IF YOU ARE HERE AFTER READING THIS, CHEERS TO YOU!! :) :DApologies for the long post. Suggestions welcome!

I think I can answer this question to some extent. I can’t compare with other states exactly as I am unaware how things work in other states. But can try explaining things working in Kerala Jails.My experience with jail comes from 3 main accounts.In my current profile, our firm is working with various NGOs in financing and technical guidance. A few NGOs registered with us, are into training and supporting prisoners as well as their families. We are constantly evaluating and auditing various reports and presentations they make.One of my relatives worked in Viyur Central Jail as Chief Welfare officer before he retired 2 years back. So I understand a lot of conditions prevailing in jails of Kerala.Personally visited 2 Jail facilities recently to evaluate and study the impact and effectiveness of various training programs provided NGOs supported by us.Like across India, Kerala has a 3 tier Jail systemSubjail/Special Sub Jails:- Mainly to house under-trials/unconvicted prisoners during their remand period either for their personal safety or for smooth conduct of investigation etc. Special Subjails were constituted to house undertrials whose remand period has extended beyond the mandatory 90 days period as well as those convicted for petty crimes whose sentences are less than 90 days/3 months.District Jail: Primary purpose of District jail is to house convicted criminals whose sentences are less than 6 months. Under-trials of sensational cases and those classified as sensitive are moved to this prison. These jails are located in District HQ of each districtCentral Jail: To house all regular convicted prisoners. Under-trials of political cases, key sensational cases like those related to terrorism or similar, those who are classified into highly sensitive as well as under-trial prisoners related to white-collars whose cases are pending in specialized economic courts etc are kept here. There are 3 main jails- Trivandrum, Thrissur, and Kannur.Then there are Open-Jails to house prisoners who are towards the last phase of their sentence and those who have the good track record so as to help them to rehabilitate faster with society.Traditionally, Kerala Jails faced almost all similar issues as like jails elsewhere in India. In 2010, then the ruling LDF Government overhauled the prison system completely. The thrust of these prison reforms was more focused for Central/District jails, hence I will be focused these two sectors with a clear admission that there are much more issues still prevailing for remand prisoners living in Subjails/special sub-jails.One key change which happened was altering the identity of officials working in Prison. Previously they were called Wardens and expected to be like whip-masters in circus camps. The older job concept for wardens was to tame and punish prisoners. This has been changed the job identity itself changed to a correctional officer. As correctional officers, their job concept is now focused on helping prisoners to overcome their habits and assisting in rehabilitation. This is much strongly felt in the attitude of much of younger generation officers appointed and many of senior officials are constantly trained to get into the new thought process.Bldgs/facilityMuch of Central jails and district jails operate in the traditional facility built in Monarchy/British era. Due to which, jail facility as such isn’t comparable to any modern facility and much of the cells are dark, dungeon kind with a dingy atmosphere. However many jails have newer blocks which are designed as spacious, well ventilated etc. One key change is replacing walls with bars in the front side, so as to allow maximum ventilation and exposure to outside.Kerala’s first disabled-friendly jail opened in PalakkadMost of newer Prison bldgs built post-2014 are designed as Disabled friendly with ramp facilities as well as tactile tiles for blind and specially designed toilets etc.One notable change is the introduction of fans in all Jail cells in Central/District jails which previously wasn’t allowed. So as all the 3 central jails now have produces 1/3rd of their total energy requirements from Solar power. Due to the installation of solar panels, prisoners also now able to access hot water from solar heaters in bathrooms.Dressing/groomingJail uniform for men- Pic taken during a personality development class in Trivandrum JailUniforms are still the same as it used to be in olden days. Male prisoners get a pair of white mundu, shirt, and undergarments while females get similar mundu, long blouse with undergarments. All of them gets a towel, a bedsheet, a blanket etc.Hygiene is strictly followed by the compulsory washing of clothes on a daily basis. Prisoners get a soap bar, a brush, a paste gel (normally one per cell depending upon numbers), hair oil and a comb. Women prisoners do get sanitary napkins (which is sponsored by HLL Lifecare). In Trivandrum, they have a vending machine for napkins (not sure about other places).For men to shave, there are designated inmates as barbers who do shave for others. Though the rule limits shaving once in a week, it's mostly a daily or once in two-day matter. Men can’t grow their beards unless approved by Jail authorities, mostly limited on religious/medical grounds.Many older concepts of shaving head/moustache upon admission etc were removed though long hair won’t be permitted. A monthly haircut is mandatory for all male prisoners. No haircuts as such for women.FoodA typical jail food served to inmatesOne key area improved is Food. The much dreaded Godamunda (Steamed Wheat Dough Balls which is extremely bland) is completely removed.Much of Jail food has been standardized and redeveloped to much nutritious and balanced meal. The focus is much on diversity and proper meals. Infact much of the food on Jail menu has attracted eyebrows of people outside citing inmates gets more food options than in many smaller restaurants outside. Of course, the food may not be tasty, but there are better ways to ensure that each prisoner gets the minimum quantity of nutrition. Various NGOs bodies and human rights organization often conduct random checks and quality assessment to ensure the food served has requisite nutrition as proposed in the manual. Much reports indicated, there is an extremely low rate of corruption when comes to food handling by prison authorities in Kerala when compared to other states.The following is the official regular menu for 3 Central Jails of KeralaApart from normal days foods, Chicken Biriyani (with boiled eggs) is served during major Non-Hindu festivities like Eid, Christmas, Easter etc while a full Kerala Sadya being offered for Onam, Vishu etc. The menu is near similar for District jails and slightly lesser in items for Subjails.Prisoners with special needs or medical issues have their own independent menu. There are a full-time dietitian and nutritionist appointed in Central Jails and part-time dietitians in District jails.Chapati-mutton curry, rice-aviyal & theeyal: Kerala’s jail inmates relish healthy foodOne interesting part is that Kerala spends the highest amount for food for the prisoner on per capita basis, in India. The state spends Rs 120 per day per prisoner for the food while Delhi spends only Rs 31.31 per day per prisoner or Maharashtra spends only Rs 32 per day per prisoner.Due to this factor, prisoners often gain weight in Kerala jails, something unusual in other jails in IndiaConvicted criminal Govindaswamy in the sensational Soumaya Murder case. Left pic when he was arrested and right pic when he was brought to court after 4 years in prison. Often this pic is used by many to criticize the Jail department for its concept of well-feeding all its convicts.SportsThe debut of Kerala Jail Cricket team against visiting team of Sri Lanka Prisons Department’s official teamAll 3 Central Jails in Kerala have football court apart from an open field to play cricket. Every block features a volleyball court or badminton facility as Sundays afternoons are regularly used to practice volleyball within the blockRecently a Jail Cricket team was formed with professional training and support from Kerala Cricket Association. The team made its debut recently when they played against Sri Lanka Prison Officers team in Trivandrum.LibraryKerala has a huge thrust on library movement across the state. The same thrust is seen in Prisons too. Trivandrum Central Jail’s library is one of the oldest in the state, started in 1900s with more than 1000 reference books and nearly 5K books on various topics. Apart from its own collection, Trivandrum Jail has a tie-up with State Central Public Library to arrange books on a rental when prisoners make a request.Both other prisons, Kannur and Thrissur have huge libraries. Most of the libraries in the state do donate older copies of their books to jails, once they get newer versions. In addition, organizations are involved in donating books, which includes popular literary organizations like Manorama, DC Books etc. Many district jails have a tie-up with local libraries for books on the rental scheme.Last year, Trivandrum jail rolled out an E-library scheme where prisoners can read books in digital format through Amazon Kindle readers so as they have access to nearly 15,000 works. This service will be extended to all central jails and district jails of Kerala.E-library for inmates at Kerala jailPrisoners also can learn and earn degrees/post graduation in social/business areas through distant education program of IGNOU. Occasionally IGNOU faculty also conduct Sunday classes for prisoners of Central jails in helping to clear doubts and prepare for examinations. There is a special short term parole called Study Leave for those who enrolled for higher education to attend examinations or pre-exam training programs etc (subjected to track record of the prisoner).Inauguration of Mandatory literacy training program.There is a mandatory literacy and primary class training (upto 9th standard) for all prisoners who haven’t passed matriculation which is compulsory. The declared goal of Government is 100% literacy in Kerala Jails.Fine Arts TrainingMany jails are also into training prisoners into fine arts, thus to make them more creative in nature. The Jail department has its own prisoner music bands as well as a traditional Chenda (Drum school) training several prisoners into professional Chenda experts.Chenda classes in Thrissur JailJail Music bands performing its concert in TrivandrumShort film made by prisoners as part of Film Training course provided to them.Personality development courseYoga training for PrisonersEvery district Jail and central jails in Kerala have mandatory annual personality development workshop. In addition, almost all jails have mandatory Yoga training.Training and rehabilitationMaybe, it's in this area, Kerala’s jails find much better and professional than many other jails across India. Kerala’s Jail Industry model, as developed since 2010, now rivals almost equal to Tihar Jail which has set an exemplary record in this field.Prior to 2010, most of the jail works are mundane in nature. It served no purpose for anyone. Since penal provisions have a concept of hard labor as envisioned in the colonial era, most of the prisoners were into unproductive labor like chipping stones or cutting wood or some light furniture parts making etc which never helped both prisoners or prison.By 2010, many such jobs came to an end. A proper modern prison industry model was put forward by then the DG-Prisons Alexander Jacob.The first venture was into food production. Since prison labour was cheap, he proposed developing ready-to-eat food products that can be sold public at competitive rates. A wide range of products like cooked chappatis/rotis, egg curries, chicken curry etc was sold at rock bottom prices which fuelled interest of the public in a big way. A Single roti/chappati costs only Rs 2 (while in hotels, it cost Rs 5–10), while an egg/vegetable curry priced at Rs 20, while Chicken /Mutton curry for Rs 50 or Kebabs/chilly Chicken/biryanis etc for Rs 80. These all are sold in kiosks established in front of Jail gates operated by Prison staff.Packed kits of ready-to-eat food products under the brand- Food for FreedomThis venture clicked so well across all jails, that a brand itself born out of it- Food for Freedom (FF) and people queue up in front of jails to buy food which is of high-grade quality with no use of any preservatives or harmful substances like Ajinomoto etc. The food is also used to support people in distress as during Chennai flood (where Kerala Jails dispatched approx 2 Lakh Rotis and curries to support people in camps) and during recent Kerala floods when Jail department rolled out 20,000 food packets and 50,000 bottled water per day to be air-dropped as well as distributed in various camps.Public ques in front of major jails to purchase food from Jail which is extremely popular nowadaysThe success of selling food impacted prisoners in a big way. They currently earn Rs 150 per day for a cooking+a small share of total profit (translates around 4500–5000 Rs per month) through which they can support their families. Further, this has been extended to remand prisoners in district jail, so as they don’t sit idle inside cells hatching new plans upon release.Buoyed by the success of Jail food sales, a new model has been put forward- Jail Cafe. The first cafe is now opened in Trivandrum, outside the Jail gate which is managed by prisoners instead of Prison staff. They are trained with basic Barista management course as well as other professional Self-service restaurant training. So as it helps them to fastly rehabilitate themselves with the society and adds up their professional experience to join in restaurants/hotel sector upon release. The success of Jail Cafe is now prompting Jail authorities to replicate to other jails.Jail Cafe cum restaurant in Trivandrum managed by prisoners.There is also a new concept of Freedom Parks being successfully rolled out in Thrissur prison called as Freedom park in front of the jail. The area has been redesigned as a family park with multiple options to unwind in evenings and weekends with dedicated kiosks for purchasing jail food. The aim of Jail Park is to remove negative notions about a jail and help public to easily socialize with prisoners and thus helping them to rehabilitate faster upon release in addition to a place to sell food.Jail Park in front of Thrissur Jail is a popular picnic spot for families with fountains, small kids rides, open-air restaurant etc intended to remove negative notion against Prison.Jail department has also tested a new model of off-site food kiosks at busy areas like bus stations, railway stations, government hospitals, IT Parks etc selling packed ready-to-eat food combos like Chappati-Chicken curry for Rs 30 or Beef Biriyani for Rs 60 etc as well as packed mineral water for Rs 10.The first Food Kiosk of Jail department in the busy bus station of Trivandrum Thampanoor, close to Trivandrum Central Railway StationThis model is proposed to be expanded by allowing dependants/relatives of inmates to open a kiosk under franchise model where they invest to open a kiosk that comes with an option of availing subsidized loan from Canara Bank. The project is pending for the government’s final approval and expected to roll out by end of this year.Jail department has already partnered with various agencies to become backend central kitchen for large-scale catering. During ISL Kochi matches, packed food prepared from Jails were sold in the facility. So as during Sabarimala season time, Pathanamthitta jail prepares combo pack of Chappatty-Veg curries to be sold at low rates for Ayyappa pilgrims which served an effective way to keep the prices in restaurants during pilgrim season under control.Recently Open Jails started a new scheme of renting prisoners as cooks for catering agencies as low as Rs 140 per day. These prisoners work as a part-time cook during day hours at specified caterers and thus able to gain career expertise as a professional chef at catering agency which they might continue upon release. Prison department is now proposing to use this a privilege option for prisoners with an excellent track record, so as it motivates them better as they can move of prison during day hours and work actively in society. This also will reduce the social stigmas against them in a big way.BakeryInauguration of first Jail bakery in Thrissur JailBuoyed by success of Jail food, the department has now ventured in bakery sector which is currently operational in Kannur, Thrissur Jails and Kochi district jail rolling out breads, buns, fruit buns etc. In Kannur jail, they started making cake and pastries, chips, biscuits, and sweets like homemade Chocolates, Ladoo, Halwa which are currently sold only to bakeries or large scale party orders. The scheme is planned to extend to all major jails.The food business is highly lucrative for many Kerala jails as they have achieved a monthly revenue of nearly Rs 1 Lakh in many jails and an aggregate profit of Rs 3 crore.Other Jail industryOrganic farming in Kerala JailsFarming is the second major Jail industry. Traditionally farming in jail was strictly for its own subsistence purposes. However post 2015, there is a massive pro-organic farming movement happening in Kerala society and Jail department also joined with that. Jail department has set up vegetable gardens in all its facility that produces excess than whats required for the jails. These organic vegetables are sold regularly to the public at standard market prices without any premium. Jail authorities make it a point to host Onam/Vishu Vegetable market in front of the Jail gates when the demand is higher.Kerala Prison DG R Sreelekha IPS inaugurating fish farmingAs part of diversification, recently they tried out caged fish farming with an experimental trial of freshwater pomfret farms in Subjail-Trivandrum engaging remand prisoners which proved a huge success, which is currently expanded to 4 Subjails in the state and will eventually cover all jails with remand facility. Apart from public sales, one aim is to ensure availability of fish curry meals to remand prisoners to ensure they get better nutritious food than current.And all larger jails have large-scale dairy farms with a tie-up with Milk federations to milk sales. A large-scale professional butchery is also set up inside Viyur for production of cleaned and packed meat for various restaurants in the city.FashionJail Fashion Boutique stored opened by DG Jail- R Sreelekha IPSApparel unit in Kerala JailsThe recent venture of Kerala Jail department is into the Fashion industry with its own common brand- Free Fashionista. The clothing line is into designer wear production as well as operates its own boutique store in Trivandrum. The model primarily works with prisoners being trained in fashion designing and tailoring where they produce its own designs and models, sold both online as well as through its own boutique. Currently, 5 prisons across Kerala are into fashion designing and 120 prisoners being trained with various courses related to fashion designing. They are equally helped by reputed fashion designers and students from apparel schools.A proposal for linking with a mass production textile unit for a corporate brand is underway, which may help more prisoners being professionally trained in this sector.GroomingJail beauty saloon opened for public in Kannur JailAs part of helping prisoners to gain a valuable skill, the prison department introduced a professional men’s saloon for the public in Kannur. 30 prisoners are trained as barbers and makeup professionals, providing all grooming solutions for the public. These air-conditioned saloons operate under a brand- Phoenix Freedom Expressions provides all standard packages as any other leading beauty parlours offers. And its success helped Jail department to expand to Trivandrum and openly shortly in Kochi, Thrissur, and Kollam.FurnitureFurniture making facility operating in Kozhikode Jail supported by RUBCOTraditionally Jail department had carpentry units, primarily making furniture for government offices etc. Recently they have revamped the units to include a facility for toy making (both soft and wooden/plastic) and thus pushing its own range of affordable larger toys for children. The 3 central jails are also producing smaller furniture units like dressing tables, kitchen cabinets, wooden cupboards etc which being sold via small-scale vendors and dealers. Currently, the Jail department is in discussion with RUBCO in reviving some of its unprofitable manufacturing units which were closed due to the shortage of skilled labour. As jail has enough labour force, the plan is to revive one plant of Rubco using prisoners and start production of branded furniture which RUBCO were doing previously.Petrol pumpsA radical idea is proposed and currently in the last phase to use prisoner labour to run petrol pumps in National highways. Indian Oil Corporation has plans to set up 100 petrol stations as company owned in less popular locations, but lack trained attendants who can serve the company on the long-term basis instead of the current system of contract workers. So Jail department came up with an idea of providing the low-risk prisoners who are towards the end of their sentence periods as well as in open jails to work in some of the petrol stations. A full-fledged workshop and supermarket are proposed where jail labour can be specialized in such areas. The proposal got clearance for Kerala govt and currently waiting for IOC’s Central HR Clearance.Jail SupermarketAs jail department produces a wide range of retail products like pickles, ready to eat food, frozen food, chips, bakery items etc apart from toiletries like mosquito coils, agarbattis, toilet cleaners, brushes, liquid soaps etc, a proposal to set up supermarkets near to Jail compound was made. The first Jail supermarket will be opening shortly in Kannur followed by Thrissur.Contract labourKerala Prison department has proposed to provide skilled laborers as contract workforce for various construction projects. Recently an indoor stadium in Kannur was constructed using Prison labour which was constructed for much lower value than estimated due to cheaper labour. However, the project is yet to be cleared due to the government’s apprehensions about security.Recently Kerala Jail department revived the project after Kerala floods. A new proposal was made to make better use of skilled/trained workers for road/bridges and public infrastructure development works for rebuilding much of these facilities which shall be cost-effective. It's learned, the government has a positive stance on using prison labor for such projects now considering the savings they can make.Overall Prison industry is Kerala is highly booming. Kerala ranks top in per capita prisoner output in value-added products in the country. On average, a prisoner in Kerala produces products worth for Rs 30,000. Kerala also ranks top in Best Practices in the Field of Welfare and Rehabilitation of Prison Inmates program of NCRB.Equally, Kerala is also the highest spender for prisoner welfare activities which includes quality healthcare, food, and career development.Saying so, it's not everything perfect in Jails. There are many typical problems Kerala jails equally faces as like anywhere in India. The most serious being over-crowding.Still within all that limitations, Kerala has successfully able to redefine the model to more correctional and training facility, that too spread across the state instead of limiting to one or two facilities unlike other states.Jail is definitely not a desirable place to go in. But definitely, the place shouldn’t be a living hell, rather a facility to help those who once slipped or erred in their life to prepare for their future. In that area, Kerala jails are well performing.

8 Most Common Tourist Scams to Watch Out For in IndiaIt’s impossible to come to India and not encounter at least one scam or someone trying to rip you off. You shouldn’t be paranoid, but it’s wise to be very aware and cautious. Here are the details of the most common scams that you’re likely to find in India.1. Pretending to Know the Way to Your HotelThis scam is most often tried on visitors arriving at Delhi airport who attempt to take a pre-paid taxi their hotel. During the journey, the driver will say that he doesn’t know where your hotel is (or that it’s full, or doesn’t exist) and offer to take you to another hotel, or a travel agent who can find you a hotel.Many people end up falling for this scam as they’re tired from their flight and overwhelmed by the onslaught of India for the first time. Make sure you insist on being taken to the hotel that you planned to stay in. In addition, in Delhi don’t give the pre-paid taxi voucher to the driver until he does so. The driver requires this voucher in order to receive his payment from the taxi office for the trip.2. Saying that the Place You're Looking for has Moved or is ClosedThis is a common scam that you are likely to experience all over India, but most often around tourist destinations in major cities. In Delhi, travelers looking for the International Tourist Bureau/Passenger Reservation Center at New Delhi Railway Station are often told that it's closed or has moved. They are then taken to a travel agent to make their booking. At New Delhi Railway Station you may also be told that your train has been cancelled, and you will need to take a car or a different train to your destination.Other variations of this scam will be encountered when you attempt to visit shops and tourist attractions that are apparently “closed”. In each case, an offer will be forthcoming to take you to an alternative and sometimes even “better” place. You should ignore these people and continue to proceed to wherever you wanted to go.3. Importing Gemstones Duty FreeThis scam is widespread in Jaipur and also Agra, where many people come to buy gemstones. It's also now occurring frequently in other popular tourist destinations such as Goa and Rishikesh. The scam involves tourists being approached by a gem dealer, who convinces them to buy some gemstones for him, import them under their duty free allowance, then sell them on to one of his willing partners in the their home country for much more money than they originally paid.Of course the details that you'll be given about the "partner" are fictitious and you'll be stuck with a lot of worthless gems. Definitely avoid anyone who approaches you with an offer like this or any similar scenario. More recently, there have also been reports of scammers posing as fellow travelers, so do be aware of anyone who tries to befriend you anywhere in India. Sometimes you won't be asked to buy the gems, but instead to provide a "financial guarantee" of your credit card number and signature.4. Making the Meter Run FastMany taxi drivers and auto rickshaw drivers are honest, but some have meters that they’ve altered to run fast so that they can claim a higher fare. It pays to watch the meter to ensure that it’s ticking over at a consistent pace, and not too quickly. Another variation to this scam is the taxi driver saying that the meter is broken, and then quoting an inflated fee to your destination. Always insist on going by the meter. If you do notice that the meter is running fast, tell the driver that it appears to be broken and give him an opportunity to "rectify" it. If you know the correct fare to your destination, only pay that amount to the driver -- not the inflated amount. If he refuses to accept it, suggest going to the police station to sort the matter out.5. Offering a Reduced Taxi Fare in Return for Visiting EmporiumsWhile this isn’t a scam as such, it can still be quite a bother. Taxi drivers will often offer a reduced fare if visitors agree to stop off at a few expensive handicraft emporiums on the way, so that they can get commissions. No purchases are necessary, only looking. The catch is when the number of emporiums to be visited increases from “a few” to at least 5 or 6, so that the driver can maximize his commissions.The sales people in the emporiums don’t let potential customers get away easily, so such an exercise can end up taking hours. If you want to reach your destination promptly or don’t want to be caught up in what will feel like endless browsing, it’s best to give this offer a miss and pay the full taxi fare.6. Paid BlessingsDown by the ghats in religious places such as Pushkar and Varanasi, sadhus (Hindu holy men) will commonly approach tourists and ask if they want a blessing. They'll tie a red holy thread on your wrist and then demand a large sum of money. Also, be aware of fake sadhus who approach tourists and ask for donations. Never feel obliged to pay such an amount in any situation like this. Only give what you feel is reasonable, if anything. This applies anywhere someone asks that you pay a high price for something. Make sure that you always negotiate a price before any services are performed, otherwise you may be asked to pay an inflated price at the end. In addition, always be wary of anyone who approaches you to give you advice, directions, or help. They are sure to ask for money, even if they deny it!7. Begging ScamsIt can be heartbreaking to see a "mother" with a sleepy baby in a sling begging for money at traffic lights in India. However, these babies are often rented for the day and sedated. Another common begging scam involves approaching tourists to buy powdered milk to feed a baby. The beggar will guide you to a nearby shop where it's readily available. The milk will be over-priced though. If you hand over the money for it, the beggar and shopkeeper will keep the proceeds between them.8. Money ScamsMake sure you keep a very careful eye on your money in India! People will try and short-change you. And, they have some sneaky ways of doing it, including magician's sleight of hand! You may give the correct payment in cash but the scammer will "disappear" some of the notes while recounting them, and then claim that you haven't handed over enough. If you confront them authoritatively, the missing bill will miraculously be located and reappear. Alternatively, if you hand over a large denomination note, such as 2,000 rupees, the person may pass it back to you claiming that it's fake. Of course, they've swapped the real note for a fake one without you seeing.