Jai Prakash Narayan Central Jail in Hazaribagh has received a bulk order from a Ranchi company to make masks that are in short supply following the outbreak of novel coronavirus.

The raw materials provided by the company Saral Sewa reached the jail on Saturday and the mask-making work began on a war footing from Sunday.

Sources said the jail was known for making soaps, washing powder, files, teddy bears and decorative items. Now it has joined the war against coronavirus by making masks that have vanished off the shelves in the wake of panic buying.

Jail superintendent Hamid Akhtar told The Telegraph that Saral Sewa had signed a memorandum of understanding with the jail authorities.

“A total of 35 male prisoners have been engaged in this work. We are making 600 masks daily. Every two days, someone from Saral Sewa comes to pick up the masks. The company will sell the masks and share 40 per cent of the profit with us and it will be used to pay those engaged in the work,” Akhtar said.

He said the prisoners were working from 8am to 4.30pm every day.