Lok Sabha Question No. 2114 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-04
Subject: Legal Services to Victims of Acid Attacks
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Vijay Kumar Dubey, Dhanush M Kumar, Soyam Babu Rao, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Ganesan Selvam, Rebati Tripura, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Manickam Tagore B

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

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## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2114

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 4 th  MARCH, 2020

Legal Services to Victims of Acid Attacks

## 2114. DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRI SOYAM BAPU RAO:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI REBATI TRIPURA:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI SHRINIWAS PATIL:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.:

SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

SHRI GAUTAM SIGAMAANI PON:

SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B.:

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

- (a) whether  the  National  Legal  Services  Authority  has  launched  a scheme to provide legal services to the victims of acid attacks, if so, the details thereof and the main objectives of the schemes;
- (b) the  number  of  acid  victims  who  are  provided  legal  aid  under  this scheme during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether  Government  has  created  awareness  among  acid  victims about this scheme and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has framed special schemes for acid attack victims to take up their cases on priority basis in courts;
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons  therefor along  with the  number  of  pending  acid  attack  cases  in  different  courts  in  the country; and
- (f)  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  prompt  disposal  of victims of acid attack cases in a time bound manner?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) to  (f)  National  Legal  Services  Authority  has  framed  NALSA  (Legal Services  to  Victims  of  Acid  Attacks)  Scheme,  2016  under  the  Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 for providing legal services to the victims of acid attacks. The main objectives of the scheme are as follows: (i) to  strengthen  legal  aid  and  representation  at  the  National, State,  District  and  Taluka  levels  for  victims  of  acid  attacks  in availing the benefits of the extant legal provisions and schemes for compensation; (ii) to enable the victims of acid attacks to get access to medical facilities and rehabilitative services; (iii) to create and spread awareness about the entitlements of the victims of acid attacks through the District Legal Services Authorities,  Taluka  Legal  Services  Committees,  panel  lawyers, para-legal volunteers and legal services clinics; (iv) to enhance capacities at all the levels of panel lawyers, paralegal  volunteers,  volunteers  in  legal  services  clinics,  government officials, service providers,  police  personnel,  non-governmental organizations  by  organizing  training,  orientation  and  sensitization programmes; and to undertake research and documentation to study the various schemes,  laws  etc.  to  find  out  the  gaps  and  to  make  remedial

- (v) suggestions to the appropriate authorities.

As  per  information  made  available,  the  number  of  acid  attack victims  who  got  compensation  under  this  scheme  during  the  last three years viz. 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 is as under:

| No. of Acid Attack Victims who got compensation under the scheme   | No. of Acid Attack Victims who got compensation under the scheme   | No. of Acid Attack Victims who got compensation under the scheme   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2016-17                                                            | 2017-18                                                            | 2018-19                                                            |
| 201                                                                | 249                                                                | 232                                                                |

The  Legal  Services  Institutions  are  organizing  legal  awareness programmes to sensitize people to the needs of the victims of acid attacks so that the community provides support to the victims which is  essential  for  their  rehabilitation.  Awareness  is  also  being  spread through Doordarshan, All India Radio besides distribution of pamphlets, leaflets etc. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has issued an advisory dated 20.04.2015 on expediting cases of acid attack on women wherein the States/UTs were requested to take proactive measures to expedite investigation, trial of acid attack cases and bring them under a definite time frame.

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