Hyderabad: Telangana Prisons made history by hosting its first state-level retreat at the State Institute of Correctional Administration (SICA) in Hyderabad. The three-day event, titled Regional Retreat – 2025, began on Thursday and brought together staff from the Warder to Deputy Jailor levels.
This initiative, led by Director General Dr. Soumya Mishra, moves beyond earlier range-level meetings. For the first time, it offered frontline staff a common platform to directly share ideas, raise concerns, and offer practical solutions. The retreat aims to modernise the prison system by including voices from the ground.
Retreat promotes open dialogue and practical reforms
The event encouraged field-level input on pressing issues such as prison security, staff discipline, and employee welfare. It also included discussions on drug de-addiction, the care of women and children in prisons, and the role of technology in improving administration.
To ensure balanced participation, organisers formed six mixed teams comprising Deputy Jailors, Assistant Jailors, and Warders. These teams held in-depth discussions, and their suggestions will be compiled and sent to senior authorities for review and possible implementation.
Senior officials support reform-focused retreat
Several top officials attended the launch, including Inspector General of Prisons N. Murali Babu, DIG M. Sampath (Warangal Range), Superintendent T. Venkata Laxmi Srinadh, SICA Principal M. Srinivasa Reddy, and Deputy Superintendents A. Sreedhar and G. Vijaya Deni.
They praised the retreat as a major step toward building modern, people-focused correctional facilities. Moreover, they said the event would boost morale by giving lower-rank officers a voice in shaping future policies.