Lok Sabha Question No. 2387 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-01
Subject: Gram Nyayalayas
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA, NISHIKANT  DUBEY, RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2387

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 01 st  AUGUST, 2018.

## Gram Nyayalayas

2387. SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA: SHRI NISHIKANT DUBEY:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY:

## Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has set up Gram Nyayalayas across the country, if so,
- the details thereof, State-wise and the present status thereof;
- (b) whether the villagers are facing difficulties in getting justice from Subordinate / High Courts as they are far away from their places of residence and if so, the steps taken by the Government to set up Gram Nyayalayas in villages;
- (c) whether cases pending in lower courts would be considered in these Nyayalayas
- and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of funds allocated and released to the States for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas in the country; and
- (e) the other steps being taken to provide speedy justice in rural areas?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e) : To provide access to justice to the citizen at their door steps, the Central  Government  has  enacted  the  Gram  Nyayalayas  Act,  2008.    It provides  for  establishment  of  Gram  Nyayalayas  at  intermediate  panchayat level.    The  State  Governments  are  responsible  for  establishing  Gram Nyayalayas  in consultation with the respective High Courts. As  per information made available by State Governments / High Courts, 343 Gram Nyayalayas  have  been  notified  so  far  by  11  States.  Out  of  these,  210  are operational in 9 States at present.  State-wise details of the Gram Nyayalayas notified and operationalised by the State Governments are as under:

| Sl. No.   | State       |   Gram Nyayalayas Notified |   Gram Nyayalayas Functional |
|-----------|-------------|----------------------------|------------------------------|
| 1         | M P         |                         89 |                           89 |
| 2         | Rajasthan   |                         45 |                           45 |
| 3         | Karnataka   |                          2 |                            0 |
| 4         | Odisha      |                         22 |                           14 |
| 5         | Maharashtra |                         39 |                           24 |
| 6         | Jharkhand   |                          6 |                            1 |
| 7         | Goa         |                          2 |                            0 |
| 8         | Punjab      |                          2 |                            1 |
| 9         | Haryana     |                          2 |                            2 |
| 10        | UP          |                        104 |                            4 |
| 11        | Kerala      |                         30 |                           30 |
| Total     | Total       |                        343 |                          210 |

Civil  and  criminal  cases  pending  before  District  /  Session  Courts  or courts  subordinate to them  falling within the jurisdiction  of  the  Gram Nyayalayas can be transferred to Gram Nyayalayas.

The  Central  Government  has  been  encouraging  the  States  to  set  up Gram Nyayalayas by providing financial assistance.  As per the scheme for assistance  to  State  Governments  for  establishing  and  operating  Gram Nyayalayas, the Central Government provides one-time assistance to States towards non-recurring expenses for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas subject to a ceiling of Rs. 18.00 lakhs per Gram Nyayalaya.  The Central Government also  provides  assistance  towards  recurring  expenses  for  operating  these Gram Nyayalayas subject to a ceiling of Rs. 3.20 lakhs per Gram Nyayalaya per year for the first three years. The State-wise details of financial assistance provided so far to State Governments for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas are as under:-

(Rs. in lakhs)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State   | Financial Assistance sanctioned   |
|-----------|---------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 1         | Madhya Pradesh      | 1,819.00                          |
| 2         | Rajasthan           | 1,240.98                          |
| 3         | Karnataka           | 25.20                             |
| 4         | Odisha              | 337.40                            |
| 5         | Maharashtra         | 337.8                             |
| 6         | Jharkhand           | 75.60                             |
| 7         | Goa                 | 25.20                             |
| 8         | Punjab              | 25.20                             |
| 9         | Haryana             | 25.20                             |
| 10        | Uttar Pradesh       | 1323.2                            |
| 11        | Kerala              | 474                               |
| Total     | Total               | 5,708.78                          |

The  issues  affecting  operationalization  of  the  Gram  Nyayalayas were discussed in the Conference of Chief Justices of High Courts and Chief Ministers of the States on 7 th April, 2013.  It was decided in the Conference that the State Governments and High Courts should decide the question of setting  up  of  Gram  Nyayalayas  wherever  feasible,  taking  into  account  the local issues and situation.

The Central Government has requested the Chief Ministers of States and Chief Justices of High Courts for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas in the respective States.  Recently, the  Registrars General of High Courts and Law /  Home  /  Finance  Secretaries  of  States  were  requested  through  video conferences held in January, 2018  and  July, 2018, to set  up  Gram Nyayalayas and seek financial assistance for operationalising them under the Scheme mentioned above.

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