Project Revive: Phek District Jail Implements Agricultural Training for Inmate Reentry

Strategic Reform at the Borderland

In Phek, a Nagaland district situated roughly 110 km east of the state capital near the Manipur and Myanmar borders, law enforcement has shifted focus toward long-term social reintegration. On July 25, the local police department inaugurated Project Revive, a targeted initiative designed to provide the 23 male inmates currently residing in Phek District Jail with viable economic skills for their post-incarceration lives.

Superintendent of Police Pritpal Kaur, a dentist-turned-IPS officer, serves as the principal architect of the program. The initiative operates through a tripartite partnership involving the Phek district police, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra-Indian Council of Agricultural Research (KVK-ICAR), and the District Legal Services Authority. By facilitating these connections, the project seeks to replace past behavioral choices with stable professional alternatives.

Sustenance and Soil Science

The initial phase of the program emphasizes agricultural self-sufficiency and sustainable practices. Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Senior Scientist and head of the Phek KVK-ICAR center, has outlined a curriculum that includes the cultivation of red cauliflower on jail grounds. Practical instruction is already underway, led by T. Esther Longkumer, Chief Technical Officer in Soil Science, who is training inmates in the following areas:

• Hands-on vermicomposting techniques.
• Organic waste management for agricultural use.
• Soil health and vegetable cultivation.

During the project launch, SP Kaur urged the participants to adopt a progressive mindset, framing the training as a method to achieve an honest living and contribute to societal stability once their sentences conclude.

Economic Integration and Long-term Vision

Project Revive extends beyond simple classroom instruction into a full-cycle economic model. According to Kaur, a marketing strategy is embedded in the program to ensure the labor of inmates translates into financial security. Goods produced within the facility will be transported to major regional hubs, including Kohima and the commercial center of Dimapur, for retail sale. The resulting profits are slated for direct deposit into the bank accounts of the inmates.

A second phase of the rehabilitation effort is currently in development, which will mobilize a new team of trainers. This upcoming stage will transition inmates into technical vocational work, focusing on the production of cane stools, diverse furniture pieces, and other traditional handicrafts. Nukhochiyi Tetseo, the Jailor of Phek District Jail, presided over the launch event, which concluded with a practical training session intended to ground these theoretical goals in physical application.

Source: The Hindu — Sci-Tech