NEW DELHI: In what ties classroom comfort to prison inmate rehabilitation, the Delhi Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has cleared a proposal to procure 10,000 dual desks from the Tihar Central Jail Factory for the city’s government schools.

Gupta said the decision hits two goals with one step—easing the furniture crunch in schools while expanding opportunities for inmates to learn skills and earn wages. This will not only improve the learning environment in schools, but also create employment and rehabilitation opportunities for inmates in Tihar, she said.

All these desks will be supplied at the proposed GST-inclusive rates, with the total project pegged at Rs 8.95 crore. The education department has already set aside Rs 20 crore in the 2025–26 budget for furniture and essential items.

The initiative follows instructions issued by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs during the third National Chief Secretaries’ Conference, which encouraged states to involve inmates in productive work.

Gupta said that the move fulfils the objective of rehabilitation, reform, and reintegration. She noted that the desks made in Tihar are on par with PWD furniture and nearly 25% cheaper than market options.

Education Minister Ashish Sood said the demand for desks has surged alongside rising enrolment and new classroom construction. Delhi operates 1,086 government schools. A special survey in April found an urgent need for 23,321 dual desks in 127 schools. Additional requests pushed total demand to nearly 25,000.