Lok Sabha Question No. 5219 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: Legal Awareness
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Sumedhanand Saraswati

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

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## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5219

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 24 th  JULY, 2019

## Legal Awareness

## †5219. SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARSWATI:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  survey  to  assess  the  awareness level  of  legal  knowledge  (especially  about  fundamental  rights  and  human rights) of the people across the country;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  if  not,  the  reasons  therefor  and  the  action  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  the  legal  awareness  of  the citizens of the  country through any special drive or through television channels or any other media; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and initiative taken/being taken in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

Parts (a) to (c): National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) carries out mandate of legal awareness among  the people across the country. Legal Services Programmes  are  devised  by  them  keeping  in  view  the  specific  needs  of  the concerned area. While devising the programmes, inputs are taken from PLVs/VLEs working at the grass root level.

Parts  (d)  and  (e):  Legal  Awareness  is  an  important  mandate  of  National  Legal Services  Authority  (NALSA)  under  Legal  Services  Authorities  Act,  1987.  The Legal Services Authorities have been using the electronic and print media, such as Doordarshan/All India Radio/Community Radio/Films/Theatre, Street Plays, Puppet shows etc. for effective legal awareness/legal literacy programmes for the common people in the country. They have also been organising legal awareness programmes/legal  literacy  classes  for  weaker  and  marginalised  sections  of  the society and also for students in the schools & colleges to spread legal awareness. In these camps/classes people are made aware about various laws and they are given legal assistance, if required.

Department  of  Justice  conducted  publicity  and  outreach  campaign  in  the states  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  Bihar,  North  Eastern  States,  Jammu  and  Kashmir,  West Bengal, Rajasthan and Delhi by way of display of approximately 3000 hoardings at Public  Utility  places,  Bus  shelters,  Retail  outlets  of  Public  Sector  Petroleum companies, Auto hood wraps, Bus panels etc.

Under  the  Access  to  Justice  scheme  in  the  nine  North  Eastern  States  and Jammu  &  Kashmir,  various  activities  to  create  Capacity  building  and  legal awareness of grassroot functionaries like Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs), Village Level  Entrepreneurs  (VLEs),  Preraks  of  Sakshar  Bharat  Mission,  College/school students,  elected  representatives  has  been  undertaken  by  in  collaboration  with Institutions including the Women  Commission, National Literacy Mission Authority  -  State  Resource  Centers,  State  Institute  of  Rural  Development,  State Legal Services Authority, Department of Law, Universities etc.

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