No mutton or fish; Kerala prisons propose chicken, soya and eggs for inmates

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Prisons Department has recommended changes to the diet provided to prisoners. The department estimates that the changes could save around ₹5.7 crore a year, according to a letter sent by Prisons Department head S Sreejith to the Home Department.

The proposed menu revision is aimed at reducing costs while also addressing prisoners’ health concerns. The key recommendation is to remove mutton and fish from the menu and replace them with chicken curry, soya chunks and eggs. The department has pointed out that regular consumption of mutton could contribute to heart disease and other lifestyle-related illnesses. It has also cited difficulties in purchasing and storing mutton and fish.

The department currently spends ₹5.72 crore a year on mutton and ₹4.8 crore on fish. In comparison, chicken would cost around ₹1.26 crore, while soya chunks and eggs together would cost about ₹3.4 crore.

At present, fish is served for lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays, while mutton is served on Saturdays. On days when non-vegetarian food is served, prisoners who do not eat it are provided with vegetable-based curries. Those with health conditions will continue to receive diets prescribed by doctors.