News

TOI : PUNE: In an attempt to rehabilitate ex-convicts and give them a chance to begin life anew, the Adarsh Mitra Mandal had started the Criminal Adoption Scheme (CAS), a rehabilitation programme for ex-convicts, about a year-and-a-half ago.

Now, as a part of this scheme, farmer and businessman Pratap Nikam has agreed to provide the mandal with 20 acres of land on lease for agricultural purposes for a period of five years. This land, on Shikrapur road, 35 km from Pune, will be given to 18 ex-convicts.

While each of the 18 ex-convicts will be given an acre of land free of cost, the remaining two acres will be utilised for building homes for them and their families.

“The aim of this scheme is to give these people a second chance in life and enable them to earn a living without resorting to crime,” says Uday Jagtap, founder of the mandal and the man who started this scheme.

“We had shortlisted 25 people but we are waiting for recommendations from the authorities at the Yerawada jail. We hope the final list comes by next month,” says Jagtap, adding that the names should have been decided by now, but the delay happened because the superintendent of the jail, Rajendra Dhamane got transferred and the new superintendent has not yet taken charge.

For Nikam, it was the opportunity to help some people that prompted him to agree to Jagtap’s proposed initiative. “It is an interesting initiative and one that can do a lot of good for people in need. I have already started with the road development work and am making provision for water required for farming,” he adds.

Nikam is even willing to provide the chosen 18 with basic inputs for farming, like seeds and fertilisers, for them to start with. “We are not charging them any rent for the land and whatever they earn from…More