Lucknow, Jun 5 (IANS): Ten new jails will come up in Uttar Pradesh in a bit to decongest the state prisons.

The state's Minister for Jails, Dharamvir Prajapati, said that of the 10, the prison in Etawah has been completed and will become functional soon.

Presently, there are 75 jails in the state which house as many as 1.24 lakh prisoners.

With the 10 additional jails, it will take the total number to 85.

Prison officials also said that while construction of barracks in Shravasti and Prayagraj has been completed, in seven other jails, including Amethi, Chandauli, Hathras, the construction work is going on.

The Minister also said that the state government is making provisions for the release of all those lodged in jails in cases relating to only imposition of penalty and fines.

A record of all those lodged in cases of travelling without ticket in trains and imposed with a penalty is being checked from all the jails.

Jail superintendents have been asked to send the record at the earliest to so that action can be initiated soon.

"Since the formation of the Yogi government in March this year, as many as 136 prisoners who were languishing in jails just because they could not pay the fines, were released. We got assistance from NGOs and funded Rs 10 lakh for their release," said Prajapati.

He also hailed the move by Yogi Adityanath to start spiritual sessions for inmates, which include recital of Gayatri Mantra and Mahamritunjay Jaap. He said that this had brought change in the behaviour of the inmates.

Prajapati added that on the occasion of the World Environment Day on Sunday, 2.5 lakh saplings will be planted across the jails in the state.