Chandigarh, May 26 (IANS): Haryana Jails Minister Ranjit Singh on Thursday said the government is making efforts to bring about change in the mindsets of the prisoners with a proposal to open petrol pumps on the land of the jails at 11 places.

The first will be opened in Kurukshetra on May 31.

The minister told the media the jailer would initially ensure that training is being imparted to the prisoners and thereafter duty would be kept on rotation subject to their behaviour at workplace.

He said after observing the functioning and response to the jail filling station in Kurukshetra, the stations would be opened at 10 other places -- two in Ambala and one each in Yamunanagar, Karnal, Jhajjar, Faridabad, Gurugram, Bhiwani, Jind and Hisar.

Singh said the objective of the scheme is to make prisoners a part of society. He said when people come to the filling stations, they will see that the prisoners can also work like the common man.

Responding to a question about the availability of power, Singh, who also holds power portfolio, said despite the extreme weather conditions, there was no power cut in urban areas post-May 1.

The Adani Group has started supplying 500 MW of power and in addition 600 MW is expected the next week. He said till May 26, 7,050 MW electricity is available in the state from all the resources. There was a demand of 7,168 MW of power on Wednesday, of which 6,246 MW i.e. 1,499 lakh units was supplied, 10.38 per cent higher than last year.

Replying to question regarding 3,000 MW plant in Nashik, the Power Minister said that the Chief Minister, Manohar Lal has written to the Central government to buy the unit in Nashik.

While replying to another question, the minister said arrangement of 2,000 MW of additional power has been made, of which 600 MW is from Adani Group, 600 MW from the second unit of Khedar till June 30, under Medium Term Power Purchase Agreement 350 MW from Chhattisgarh till June 19 and 150 MW from Madhya Pradesh and banking facility of 300 MW is included.