Delhi govt to procure school desks from Tihar Jail’s factory

The Delhi Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has approved a proposal to procure 10,000 from the Tihar Jail Factory to meet furniture shortage in state government schools.

According to CM Gupta, this move will not only benefit the schools and students but also help create employment and rehabilitation opportunities for inmates of the prisons.

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Sharing details of the Cabinet decision, she said this procurement aligns with the instructions issued by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs during the third National Chief Secretaries’ Conference, which emphasised the rehabilitation of inmates and their engagement in productive activities.

She added that all the dual desks would be supplied at the proposed rates, inclusive of GST.

The estimated cost of 10,000 desks has been fixed at Rs 8 crore 95 lakh 40 thousand, which includes transportation and other ancillary expenses. The Education Department has already earmarked Rs 20 crore in the 2025-26 budget for the purchase of furniture and other essential items for the schools.

The CM clarified that this initiative fulfils the objective of rehabilitation, reform, and reintegration of inmates into society.

She said the quality of desks manufactured by Tihar Jail factory is comparable to the furniture used by the Public Works Department (PWD) and is estimated to be approximately 25 per cent more economical than market prices.

According to the chief minister, the decision will enhance educational facilities for students while simultaneously providing a robust avenue for skill development and employment for inmates.

According to Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood, the Delhi government currently operates a total of 1,086 government schools across the capital, where in the recent years, student enrolment has risen steadily, along with the construction of new classrooms, resulting in shortage of the dual desks.

To determine the actual requirement, a special survey campaign was conducted in the month of April, during which reports were collected from school principals, district deputy directors, and regional directors.

Following this exercise, a requirement for 23,321 dual desks was identified across 127 schools.

In addition, further requests were received from other schools, bringing the total demand to nearly 25,000 desks.

To meet this requirement in phases, it has been decided to procure 10,000 desks in the first phase, while the procurement process will continue further.