The Phek district police in Nagaland have launched ‘Project Revive’ to improve the lives of inmates at the district jail, initiated on July 25. Phek, located near the borders of Manipur and Myanmar, is about 110 km east of Kohima, the state capital.

A brainchild of the district’s Superintendent of Police, Pritpal Kaur, the initiative aims to provide livelihood training to the prisoners. The Phek district jail currently has 23 male inmates.

The district police collaborated with the Krishi Vigyan Kendra-Indian Council of Agricultural Research (KVK-ICAR) and the District Legal Services Authority in Phek town for the project.

“The training programme is envisaged to aid in the rehabilitation of the inmates, enabling them to earn an honest living after overcoming past mistakes and temptations,” Dr. Kaur, a dentist-turned-IPS officer, said on Wednesday (July 29, 2026).

During the launch programme, she encouraged the jail inmates to transform their lives with “revived hearts” and contribute to a peaceful and progressive society.

Sanjeev Kumar Singh, a Senior Scientist and head of KVK-ICAR’s Phek centre, highlighted the significance of the project and outlined upcoming agricultural initiatives. He said the centre plans to provide red cauliflower seeds to the inmates so they can cultivate the vegetables within the jail premises.

He also said that T. Esther Longkumer, Phek KVK-ICAR’s Chief Technical Officer (Soil Science), has been training the inmates on vermicomposting and other sustainable livelihood skills.

Dr. Kaur said the second phase of the training will focus on handicrafts, including cane stools, furniture, and other vocational skills. “The district police will engage another team for the second phase,” she said.

She said ‘Project Revive’ has a marketing plan factored in. The products made by the prisoners will be sold in the markets of Kohima and Dimapur, Nagaland’s commercial hub.

The profits earned will be shared among the inmates and deposited into their bank accounts.

The launch event, chaired by Nukhochiyi Tetseo, Jailor of Phek District Jail, concluded with practical hands-on training and a motivational address encouraging inmates to pursue hard work and lead purposeful living, marking a significant step in the rehabilitation of prisoners.

Published - July 29, 2026 02:30 pm IST