Prisoners lodged in central jails in Tamil Nadu can now interact with their family members as the authorities have decided to extend landline telephone facility to all inmates.

The move would benefit about 13,000 prisoners who would be allowed to speak to their close relatives and advocates for a fee of Rs 30 a month, prison department officials here said.

A separate landline for this purpose would be provided in all the prisons and it was expected to materailise in about three months. The facility would be later extended to sub-jails.

The system was being introduced in the wake of series of complaints about the prisoners using mobile phones illegally, the officials said.

In some cases, the prisoners had even used the mobile phone to give instructions to their associates outside to carry out criminal activities including murder and extortion.

Officials said the prisoner's relatives should pay Rs.30 in advance to avail the facility.

Each prisoner would be given the facility to contact only two numbers - that of their advocate and their close relative.

The prison telephone exchange would not allow calls to any other number made without the knowledge of authorities and the conversations wold be recorded.

Illegal use of mobile phones in Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and Madurai Prisons to mint money had come to light. 'Influential' prisoners collected upto Rs.10 per call with the connivance of the wardens, who shared the booty, officials said.