Handmade products made by inmates in Tihar Jail will now be available to the public online. Previously, these items were limited to the court complex and prison canteen, but now they have been put on a digital platform.
Tihar Jail products are now available online.
Products made by inmates in Delhi's Tihar Jail will now be available online to the public. Until now, these items were limited to the court premises and jail canteens, but now they have been put on digital platforms. The Tihar Jail administration recently listed some of the inmate-made products on the government app, MyStore. So, let's take a look at the products made in Tihar Jail, from mustard oil to cookies, which will be sold online.
Sales started on the MyStore app.
According to officials with the Tihar Jail administration, 13 products are currently being sold on MyStore. These include Tihar-branded mustard oil, various cookies, and some handicraft items. MyStore is a marketplace connected to the government's ONDC network and designed for Indian sellers. Items available on the online platform include coconut flour, cumin seeds, milk cream, sweet jalebi, oats, and cookies like Nankhatai. Teakwood Ganesha showpieces crafted by inmates are also being sold.
Preparations are also underway to bring it to Amazon and Flipkart
The Tihar Jail administration says that if the sales experience on MyStore is good, these products may be launched on major e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon in the future. Tihar Jail Director General S.B.K. Singh also confirmed this initiative.
How is work done in the Tihar Jail Factory?
Tihar, considered Asia's largest prison, houses approximately 20,000 inmates. Approximately 500 of these prisoners work daily in the prison factory from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to bakery products, jute bags, school furniture, handmade saris, cardboard, files, and paper used in the Supreme Court are also manufactured here. According to officials, Tihar's bakery unit is the largest, producing approximately 70 different products. In 2024, the turnover from bakery products alone was approximately ₹8 crore, while the remaining units generated approximately ₹11 crore.
Where are Tihar products sold?
Currently, Tihar products are sold in all Delhi district courts, the Delhi High Court, the prison canteen, Tihar Haat, and Tihar Emporia. Inmates also consume them inside the prison. Demand, especially for bakery items, has increased sharply in recent months. Prisoners working in the prison factory are paid a daily wage of approximately ₹412, which is deposited into their bank accounts. Prisoners can send this money to their families monthly. Furthermore, officials say that increased online sales will improve inmates' income and are an important part of their reform process. Furthermore, according to Tihar officials, similar units for hand-manufacturing products by inmates are already operating in prisons in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh.
