Pune: In an effort to rehabilitate and empower inmates, a special entrepreneurship training camp was conducted under the guidance of Prashant Burade, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons and Correctional Services), Maharashtra, and Swati Sathe, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Eastern Region, Nagpur.

Supported by the Maharashtra Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (MCED), Nagpur, the initiative aims to transform inmates into self-reliant entrepreneurs through professional education and training.

Addressing 310 inmates, Prison Superintendent Vaibhav S. Aage emphasized the need for entrepreneurial development. He encouraged inmates to cultivate business skills and work towards specific goals.

“Become creators of business opportunities. To achieve this, first build entrepreneurial abilities within yourself and strive towards a desired objective,” he said.

HR Waghmare, Divisional Officer and Centre Head of MCED Nagpur, provided insights into government schemes and training programs available for inmates.

Project Officer Shrikant Kulkarni used a PowerPoint presentation to elaborate on initiatives, grants, and motivational examples. Queries raised by inmates during the session were resolved in a positive manner.

The event’s structure and detailed planning were managed by Prison Superintendent Vaibhav Aage, with additional support from TISS social workers Dhanpal Meshram and Meena Latkar.

Several dignitaries, including Senior Jail Officer Anand Pansare, Divisional Officer HR Waghmare, and District Project Officers Karuna Shende, Pankaj Thakre, Sushma Chaurapagar, Neelima Uike, Swati Bagade, Neha Gangbhoj, and Laxman Salve, were present to guide and motivate the participants.

This initiative is seen as a pivotal step toward equipping inmates with skills to reintegrate into society as self-reliant individuals.