Kerala government has increased daily wages for prison inmates after a seven-year gap. Skilled workers now earn ₹620 per day. Semi-skilled and unskilled inmates get ₹560 and ₹530 respectively. Earlier, wages ranged from ₹63 to ₹168 daily. The move, announced on January 9, has seen criticism due to its timing before Assembly elections and concerns over wage differences in other sectors. Officials say this is the first hike since 2018 and follows 2024 Supreme Court-backed recommendations to align wages with states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. About 4,200 inmates qualify for the new pay. The wages go towards inmates’ families (50%), prison expenses like canteen and phone charges (25%), rehabilitation, and Victim Compensation Fund contributions (one-third of earnings from convicted prisoners). Kerala updated the Victim Compensation Scheme in 2021 for survivors of sexual assault and lynching. Prisoner wages were previously low, delaying this revision. The government insists this step supports inmates and victims alike under court supervision.