Lok Sabha Question No. 2029 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-07
Subject: Accessibility to Legal Services
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: GANESH SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

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## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2029 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 7 TH  MARCH, 2018

## Accessibility to Legal Service

## 2029. SHRI GANESH SINGH:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to State:

- (a) whether the Government is concerned about the hurdles to common citizens in accessibility to legal services;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has already initiated free legal services scheme in the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the total number of legal aid clinics established by  the  Government,  State-wise  and  the  financial  assistance  provided  to  the States during the last three years and the current year in this regard; and
- (d) whether the Government has made any efforts to ensure that legal aid reaches the poor and the people residing in rural areas and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW & JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P.P.CHAUDHARY)

- (a) to(d)The  Government  and  the  National  Legal  Services  Authority  (NALSA) have  undertaken  a  number  of  measures  to  address  the  problems  of  common citizens for accessing legal services. The Government has been implementing Access  to  Justice  Project  since  2012  in  8  States  of  the  North  East  namely, Assam,Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim  and  the  State  of  Jammu  &  Kashmir  in  partnership  with  State LegalServices Authorities and State Governments.  Under the project a number of legal aid and literacy programme are being implemented in these States.  In 2016-17,  46  legal  aid  clinics  were  setup  in  Tuensang  and  Mon  districts  of Nagaland.  The  Government  in  partnership  with  UNDP  also  implemented another  project  on  Access  to  Justice  in  8  States  namely,  UP,  Bihar,  M.P, Chhattisgarh,  Jharkhand,  Rajasthan,  Odisha  and  Maharashtra  from  2009  to 2017. Under the project training and capacity building of panel lawyers, para legal  volunteers,  elected  representatives  of  gram  panchayats  and  anganwadi workers were  undertaken. Under the project, 04 legal aid clinics were setup in Odisha in partnership with National Law University, Odisha and 02 legal aid clinics  were  setup  in  Mumbai  in  partnership  with  Tata  Institute  of  Social Science (TISS).

In April, 2017, the Government has launched three new legal empowerment  initiatives,  namely,  Tele  Law,  Pro  bono  legal  services  and NyayaMitra. Tele Law scheme has been launched in 1800 gram panchayats in 10 States of the country for providing free legal aid to marginalised persons as mentioned in section 12 of the Legal Services Authority Act, 1987.  As on 01.03.2018, out of 13947 cases registered under the scheme, legal advice has been provided in 10703 cases.  Under the Pro Bono legal service scheme, 215 advocates have registered. Under the NyayaMitra scheme, 15 NyayaMitrashave been engaged in 6 States namely, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat,  Rajasthan  and  Tripura.  The  NyayaMitras  are  required  to  assist  the judiciary in the disposal of long pending cases and also to provide free legal advice to marginalised persons.

NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to monitor and evaluate implementation of legal aid programmes. Under the Act, legal services institutions have been set up at all levels  i.e.  taluka courts, the district courts, High Court  and the  Supreme Court. Legal aid clinics setup in jails, observation homes, juvenile justice boards and law schools are being manned  by  panel  lawyers  and  para  legal  volunteers of legal services authorities. A total number of 20, 134 legal aid clinics have been established in the country as on 31.12.2017. [Statement showing details of these clinics setup State wise is annexed].

NALSA has developed schemes and programmes  to  ensure  equitable access to justice, especially for the marginalised communities.  These schemes are meant for providing legal aid to those specific categories of people who are excluded from the formal legal system due to political, cultural, social or environmental conditions. Such schemes range from providing legal services to  victims  of  disasters  (both  manmade  and  natural)  to  acid  attack  victims. NALSA has also been at the vanguard for protecting the rights and interest of some of the most vulnerable members of the society, be it children, women, tribals  or  mentally  ill  and disabled people. During the current financial year (up to December, 2017) more than 5.47 lakh persons have benefited through legal aid services in the country.

Annual Grants allocated by National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)  to State Legal Services Authorities for financing activities including legal aid clinicsduring the financial years 2014-15, 2015-16, 201617 and 2017-18 (upto 31.01.2018)  are Rs. 53.41 crores, Rs. 57.05 crores, Rs. 110.10 crores and Rs. 89.00crores respectively.

| Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Qn. No.2029 for 07.03.2018 by Shri Ganesh Singh, MP- State-wise number of Legal Services Clinics.   | Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Qn. No.2029 for 07.03.2018 by Shri Ganesh Singh, MP- State-wise number of Legal Services Clinics.   | Statement as referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Qn. No.2029 for 07.03.2018 by Shri Ganesh Singh, MP- State-wise number of Legal Services Clinics.   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                                                                                                                        | Name of the SLSAs                                                                                                                                            | Number of Legal Services Clinics established as on 31.12.2017                                                                                                |
| 1                                                                                                                                                            | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                               | 858                                                                                                                                                          |
| 2                                                                                                                                                            | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                            | 21                                                                                                                                                           |
| 3                                                                                                                                                            | Assam                                                                                                                                                        | 186                                                                                                                                                          |
| 4                                                                                                                                                            | Bihar                                                                                                                                                        | 261                                                                                                                                                          |
| 5                                                                                                                                                            | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                                 | 493                                                                                                                                                          |
| 6                                                                                                                                                            | Goa                                                                                                                                                          | 120                                                                                                                                                          |
| 7                                                                                                                                                            | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                      | 638                                                                                                                                                          |
| 8                                                                                                                                                            | Haryana                                                                                                                                                      | 506                                                                                                                                                          |
| 9                                                                                                                                                            | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                             | 1010                                                                                                                                                         |
| 10                                                                                                                                                           | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                                                                                               | 215                                                                                                                                                          |
| 11                                                                                                                                                           | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                    | 498                                                                                                                                                          |
| 12                                                                                                                                                           | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                    | 876                                                                                                                                                          |
| 13                                                                                                                                                           | Kerala                                                                                                                                                       | 652                                                                                                                                                          |
| 14                                                                                                                                                           | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                               | 1138                                                                                                                                                         |
| 15                                                                                                                                                           | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                  | 645                                                                                                                                                          |
| 16                                                                                                                                                           | Manipur                                                                                                                                                      | 81                                                                                                                                                           |
| 17                                                                                                                                                           | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                    | 133                                                                                                                                                          |
| 18                                                                                                                                                           | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                      | 102                                                                                                                                                          |
| 19                                                                                                                                                           | Nagaland                                                                                                                                                     | 124                                                                                                                                                          |
| 20                                                                                                                                                           | Odisha                                                                                                                                                       | 522                                                                                                                                                          |
| 21                                                                                                                                                           | Punjab                                                                                                                                                       | 526                                                                                                                                                          |
| 22                                                                                                                                                           | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                    | 7432                                                                                                                                                         |
| 23                                                                                                                                                           | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                       | 31                                                                                                                                                           |
| 24                                                                                                                                                           | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                   | 818                                                                                                                                                          |
| 25                                                                                                                                                           | Telangana                                                                                                                                                    | 392                                                                                                                                                          |
| 26                                                                                                                                                           | Tripura                                                                                                                                                      | 370                                                                                                                                                          |
| 27                                                                                                                                                           | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                                | 181                                                                                                                                                          |
| 28                                                                                                                                                           | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                  | 267                                                                                                                                                          |
| 29                                                                                                                                                           | West Bengal                                                                                                                                                  | 886                                                                                                                                                          |
| 30                                                                                                                                                           | A&N Islands                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                            |
| 31                                                                                                                                                           | U.T. Chandigarh                                                                                                                                              | 19                                                                                                                                                           |
| 32                                                                                                                                                           | Dadra and Nagar Haveli                                                                                                                                       | 13                                                                                                                                                           |
| 33                                                                                                                                                           | Daman &Diu                                                                                                                                                   | 7                                                                                                                                                            |
| 34                                                                                                                                                           | Delhi                                                                                                                                                        | 50                                                                                                                                                           |
| 35                                                                                                                                                           | Lakshadweep                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                            |
| 36                                                                                                                                                           | Puducherry                                                                                                                                                   | 63                                                                                                                                                           |
|                                                                                                                                                              | Total                                                                                                                                                        | 20134                                                                                                                                                        |