By Pallavi Murthy:
Cherlapally Central Jail has set up a first-of-its kind BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) centre in an attempt to help prisoners lead a worthy life. Bangalore-based Radiant Info Systems has set up the centre and has also taken the initiative to train the prisoners in data entry for back office operations. TCS, who is a project partner, has been providing the Hardware support. The BPO is controlled by prisoners who are literate and well educated and it is being operated directly from the prison. All inmates who have a track record of ‘good’ behaviour are eligible for the programme. According to the reports, 13 inmates of the prison have been trained among which 9 are graduates; they in turn will train the other inmates of the prison. According to Radiant Info Systems Director C Narayanacharyulu, it is going to be a 75-seater BPO unit that will be working in three shifts.
The targeted work extends across IT inputs into UIDAI, rural development programmes and international financial firms. There are rumours that the BPO’s CEO would be the former Satyam chairman and presently a prison inmate B Ramalinga Raju .The jail authorities wish to use Raju’s expertise in making the project a profitable venture. Those convicts who would be involved in this programme will definitely earn more than those who are involved in the prison’s regular work schedule.
The BPO unit has already got projects to handle and it seems good work is being done. It has already bagged the census data compilation project and the manual digitisation work.
The major concern is the access to clients’ confidential data. There could be a possibility of abuse. Though such initiatives improve possibilities of post prison rehabilitation but care needs to be taken about the confidential data that cannot be messed around with. When questioned about this C N Gopinathan Reddy, Director General of prisons, said, “It will all be done under the supervision of our people, the idea being to make the entire process foolproof”. Let’s wait and watch for the future of this BPO and hope that it truly transforms the lives of the inmates.
Image courtesy: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/inside-job-gives-call-centres-a-pool-of-cheap-labour/story-e6frg90o-1225865832459