Annual Report 2010-2011 4.213 It is encouraging to note that overcrowding which is an important factor for determining the living conditions of prisoners inside the jails has shown a continuous and significant decline of 15.5% from June 2005 (42.9%) to June 2009 (27.4%). States/Union Territories like Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, N.C.T. of Delhi, Goa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Uttara khand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Assam, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh which have a high percentage of overcrowding, more than the all India level of 27.4%, may be requested to bring it further down by creating additional capacity in their jails. Delhi, Gujarat and Jharkhand are making substantial efforts to bring down overcrowding in their jails. Other States/Union Territories may like to emulate their example for reducing overcrowding in their jails. Odisha and Tripura too have succeeded in reducing overcrowding in their jails. 4.214 The same declining trend was noticed on other parameters of living conditions in jails as well. A slight downward trend was noticed in the percentage of undertrials as it declined from 68.3% in June 2008 to 67.9% in June 2009. The decline is required to be maintained and speeded up further. Measures like holding of frequent Jail Adalats (Camp Courts inside jails), provision of legal assistance to poor and needy prisoners, streamlining the process of granting of parole, speedy trial and holding of video conferencing, etc. are some of the measures which would enable States/Union Territories in reducing overcrowding and number of undertrial prisoners in the jails. 4.215 Percentage of undertrials when compared with the previous period of June 2008 shows that it has gone down in 10 States/Union Territories, gone up in 5 States/Union Territories and there had been no significant increase/decrease in 19 States/Union Territories. 4.216 With regard to the percentage of women prisoners, there has been a status-quo. The percentage of women prisoners was reported to be high Mizoram, Daman & Diu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. ********** 58 NHRC