...... 40 CIVIL LIBERTIES of the State concerned. The workshops aimed at imparting the participants basic knowledge about human rights of prisoners, peculiarities of their vulnerable status and initiatives taken by the NHRC to improve jail conditions. 4.74 The workshop held at Ranchi was attended by the Jails Supdts, from all the 27 Jails – 2 Central Jails, 6 District Jails and 19 Sub Jails of Jharkhand and the Probation Officers of all the 22 Districts of the State. Shri A.B. Tripathy, Special Rapporteur, Orissa and Jharkhand was also involved in the conduct of this workshop along with Shri Satendra Singh, IAS, IG (Prison), Jharkhand and Shri R.K. Kataria, Special Secretary, Home. The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Arujun Munda, Chief Minister, Jharkhand who emphasized the need for observance of human rights in prisons and expressed the commitment of the State Government to improve the living conditions in jails. He exhorted the Jail Supdts to make the jails in the State totally free of violation of human rights of inmates. The CM mentioned a number of steps that have been taken by his Government to reduce congestion in jails and improve the living conditions of inmates. Shri R.N. Sahay, a leading Advocate of Jharkhand High Court Ranchi was a special invitee to address the participants on the important judgments of the Supreme Court regarding rights of prisoners and conditions in prisons. Two sessions were devoted, one each in the forenoon and afternoon programme for discussion and interaction with the participants which provided very useful inputs on prison conditions in Jharkhand with suggestions for improvement. It also revealed the need for a thorough study of the existing infrastructure and jail services in Jharkhand by the Commission in order to identify the organizational inadequacies and administrative shortcomings and make suitable recommendations to the Central and State Governments. 4.75 The second workshop of the period of report was held at Pune in Maharashtra on 28 July 2003. Shri B.T. Ningalova IG (Prisons) Maharashtra and Dr. V.S. Chitnis, Member and Shri Subhash Apte, Special IGP Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission were associated with the endeavour. 39 Officers of the Prison Department of Maharashtra including 4 D.Is.G (Prisons), one Research Officer, one Law Officer, two Psychiatrists, Principal Jail Officers Training Centre, 20 Supdt. (Prisons), 1 Deputy Supdt. (Prison) and 9 Jailers attended the workshop. The workshop was inaugurated by Justice Smt. Sujata V. Manohar, Member, NHRC while Shri S.T. Gokhale, Chairman, Community Aid and Sponsorship Programme (CASP), Pune presided over the inaugural function. Prof. Smt. Tara Bhadbhade, NHRC nominee for Central Jail Pune, Smt. Kamini Kapadia, Regional Manager, Action Aid, Mumbai and Prof. Meenakshi Apte, Director SAATHI made valuable contribution to the deliberations. In her inaugural address, Justice Smt. Sujata V. Manohar stressed vulnerability of prisoners to violation of their human rights and explained the provisions of the international covenants and the Constitution of India requiring humane treatment of persons in detention. Shri S.T. Gokhale, Chairman, CASP highlighted the problems of women prisoners and children staying with them and emphasized the need for systemic reforms in jail administration. He appealed to the media to work for bringing about the NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION