Section 49 in The West Bengal Correctional Services Act, 1992
49. Recreations.—
(1)Every prisoner shall be given facilities of having rest and recreation for such period as may be prescribed. The types of recreation shall be as follows:—(a)educative recreations, namely reading of books, newspapers and periodicals, hearing of radio broadcasts, participation in or attending cultural performances, paintings and the like;(b)recreation for mental exercise, namely participation in or witnessing of indoor and outdoor games;(c)recreation pertaining to physical health, namely participation in outdoor games and different types of physical culture including yoga;(d)recreation for entertainments, namely,(i)community song with musical instruments such as madal and kartal in respective wards or outside the wards with the approval of the Superintendent,(ii)folk dances and songs and other community entertainment on festival days and holidays,(iii)play of simple musical instruments by individual prisoner without disturbing others,(iv)dramatic performances in the form of jatra and theatre and variety entertainment programmes by prisoners on festival days and holidays, and(v)display of educative and entertaining films on different occasions with the assistance of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department of the State Government.(1A)The State Government, for the purposes of sub-section (1), may, by notification, provide for formation of club for the purpose of sports and cultural activities for the prisoners, in such manner and subject to such conditions as it may deem fit.(2)The State Government may appoint one or more physical instructors to look after the recreational facilities referred to in clause (c) of the sub-section (1). The recreational facilities referred to in clauses (a), (b) and (d) shall be looked after by the Welfare Officer.(3)In every correctional home, there shall be a playground for outdoor games and a community hall for cultural programmes.(4)The implements for indoor and outdoor games and other recreations referred to in sub-section (1) shall be issued to and taken back from the prisoners in such manner as may be prescribed. The other recreations referred to in sub-section (1) shall be provided in such manner, as may be prescribed.
