Household items made by Rukum West inmates remain unsold

By Our Correspondent,Rukum West, Mar. 10:  Various household items made by the inmates at a jail in Rukum West district have remained unsold due to the lack of market.  

Inmates produce mud, sweaters, teams, laces, patukis, baskets, flowers, bags, among others, inside the prison. 

Janak Basnet, watchman of the prison, said that the domestic items produced by the prisoners have not found a market. 

According to Basnet, the prisoners have stopped selling hand-woven materials for lack of market. 

More than 100 stools, 30 laces, 15 bags, 30 belts, some pieces of flowers and bamboo pots are on sale in the jail. 

Watchman Basnet said that around 500 pieces were sold in the last two seasons, but this time only 500 pieces were sold.

According to him, the price has been fixed from Rs. 500 to Rs. 850 per piece depending on the size of stools. Similarly, the price of caps ranges from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 2,500, that of basket range from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000, that of sweater and lace from Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000.

Akabir Gharti, chief of the Prison Office, Rukum West, said that the sale of materials produced by the prisoners has been in decline in recent times. 

The production of household materials is increasing but their sale is declining, he said.  The prisoners buy raw materials from the market at their own expense. He informed that the prisoners have taken a lead in skill-based activities as they can earn income by selling the materials prepared by them. 

Gharti said that the prison administration has been incentivising the prisoners to do skill-based work in collaboration with various agencies to make the best use of their time.