Burul man serves coffee and snacks at own shop after serving 6 years in prison
Times of India | 9 March 2024
Kolkata: In a bid to reintegrate a released convict into society, the department of correctional administration and the district administration have helped Surajit Mandal set up a coffee shop at Rania near Burul College. Mandal had been behind bars for six years, at Alipore Central Correctional Home and at Presidency Correctional Home, on attempt-to-murder charges and was released on Jan 19, 2022.
“After spending six years in prison, it was an insurmountable challenge to fend for myself overcoming the stigma and discrimination around hiring ex-convicts. Since I worked at a jute mill at Birlapur, I went back to resume my job. But they refused to take me. Then I started to look for other work but no one was ready to hire me after I disclosed my past. I was exploited and cheated several times. There was immense mental, social and economic stress,” said Mandal.
In 2023, he approached the department for assistance. “At first, we did an aspiration and capacity mapping to understand his skills, internal and external resources. We found he has an inclination towards cooking and we started to develop his entrepreneurship qualities. Moreover, he had a space where he could start a small business,” said Manoj Kumar Roy, district probation-cum-aftercare officer, South 24 Parganas. Roy made a detailed project report of the business and convinced the officials of SBI Bakhrahat branch to sanction a Rs 4 lakh loan to Mandal.
The coffee shop was inaugurated on Thursday in presence of officials from SBI, district administration and department of correctional administration. “It is a new beginning for me. I am learning different recipes, including how to make momos, pasta and snacks from YouTube so that I can diversify the menu. At present, I serve tea, coffee, pakoda, chowmein, rolls, lassi, ice-cream and cold drinks. I have also bought electrical appliances, including a microwave,” said Mandal, adding that there has been a good response on the first two days.
The coffee shop has been set up under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme of the West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board. “Mandal will also receive a subsidy of Rs 1 lakh and the first instalment of Rs 2.6 lakh has already been disbursed,” Roy said.
Similar initiatives that were taken in the last few years include a dairy project for six released convicts; a goat farming project for five ex-convicts; a laundry shop that was set up for a released life-term convict; electric goods and clothing shops for two ex-convicts; tea stall for another released life-term convict. “Such initiatives are taken to strengthen the social and emotional wellbeing of ex-convicts and to remove stigma. This helps in understanding the importance of second chances, and rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-convicts in mainstream society,” Roy said.