Maharashtra doubles rehab grant for freed prisoners. The Maharashtra government has doubled its rehabilitation grant for prisoners acquitted after spending at least a year in jail — from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000. The scheme, announced on August 18, also extends to those acquitted under the 1958 Probation of Offenders Act.
The move came after cases like that of Sadaf Modak, 45, from Kolhapur. He walked out in 2022 after nearly a decade in jail for a 2012 murder case. He had no laptop, no job, no plan. The ₹25,000 grant helped him buy a second-hand laptop and start freelance work.
Officials say the goal is to help people rebuild. The grant can be used for a sewing machine, carpentry tools, or to buy a small flock of hens. A 45-year-old farmer from Palghar used it to buy 40 hens and feed.
Since 2016, the state has spent ₹12.6 crore on the scheme, benefiting 480 people. Applications go through a probation officer and social worker, and are approved by a committee at district level. Priority is given to those aged 18-65.
Experts say reintegration is hard. Ex-prisoners face stigma and have lost years of earning. “The state has a responsibility towards reintegration into society,” said an official.T
he Bombay High Court in 2017 had directed the state to raise the grant from ₹5,000. In 2020, the budget was ₹1 crore. Now it’s higher.
Critics say ₹50,000 is still small for starting a business. But for many, it’s the first capital they’ve had. As one beneficiary put it: “After 10 years, even ₹25,000 was a big step. Now ₹50,000 gives a real chance.”