Lok Sabha Question No. 289 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Gram Nyayalayas
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION No *289

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2021

## Gram Nyayalayas

## *289.  SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

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

- (a)  the  present  status  of  establishment  of  permanent  Gram  Nyayalayas  across the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  make  it  mandatory  for  new  judicial officers  to  serve  in  these  Gram  Nyayalayas  to  ensure  speedy  and  accessible justice to underprivileged citizens;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  and  the  present  status  thereof  including  allocation  of resources to the Gram Nyayalayas in this regard, State/UT-wise; and
- (d)  the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  minimize  the difficulties  faced  by  rural  population  in  getting  justice  from  subordinate/High Courts as they are residing in remote areas far away from the courts ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to (d):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (d)  of LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *289  FOR  ANSWER  ON 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2021.

(a)  to  (d)  :  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.  Department  of  Justice  has  not issued any directives to make it mandatory for new judicial officer to serve in these Gram Nyayalayas, as appointment of Nyayadhikari in Gram Nyayalayas falls within the domain of the State Government.

As  per  information  made  available  by  State  Governments  /  High Courts, 476 Gram Nyayalayas have been notified so far by 15 States.  Out of these 256 are operational in 10 States at present.  State-wise details of the Gram Nyayalayas  notified,  operationalised  by  the  State  Governments  and  status  of fund release by this Department is as under:

|   Sl. No. | State/UTs      |   Gram Nyayalayas Notified |   Gram Nyayalayas Functional |   Fund released (Amount in Rs.lakh) |
|-----------|----------------|----------------------------|------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|         1 | Madhya Pradesh |                         89 |                           89 |                             2456.4  |
|         2 | Rajasthan      |                         45 |                           45 |                             1240.98 |
|         3 | Kerala         |                         30 |                           30 |                              828    |
|         4 | Maharashtra    |                         36 |                           23 |                              660.8  |
|         5 | Odisha         |                         23 |                           19 |                              337.4  |

| 6     | Uttar Pradesh   |   113 |   43 |   1323.20 |
|-------|-----------------|-------|------|-----------|
| 7     | Karnataka       |     2 |    2 |     25.2  |
| 8     | Haryana         |     2 |    2 |     25.2  |
| 9     | Punjab          |     9 |    2 |     25.2  |
| 10    | Jharkhand       |     6 |    1 |     75.6  |
| 11    | Goa             |     2 |    0 |     25.2  |
| 12    | Andhra Pradesh  |    42 |    0 |    436.82 |
| 13    | Telangana       |    55 |    0 |    693    |
| 14    | Jammu &Kashmir  |    20 |    0 |      0    |
| 15    | Ladakh          |     2 |    0 |      0    |
| Total | Total           |   476 |  256 |   8153    |

The  Gram  Nyayalayas  scheme  has  been  evaluated  from  time  to  time. The  third  party  evaluation  of  the  Scheme  was  done  through  NITI  Aayog recently,  which  recommended  continuance  of  the  scheme.  The  Government has  extended  the  above  scheme  for  a  further  period  of  five  years  from 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2026, with a budgetary outlay of Rs.50 crores.

The Central Government has been encouraging the States to set up Gram Nyayalayas by providing financial assistance.  As per the scheme, 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 Central Government has been regularly following up with the State Governments and the  High  Courts  for  setting  up  of  Gram  Nyayalayas  in  the respective States.  During the current year, 05 (five) meetings have been held with  the  Registrar  Generals  of  High  Courts  and  Law  /  Home  /  Finance Secretaries of State Governments to expeditiously  set up Gram Nyayalayas and appoint  Nyayadhikaris  to  enable  rural  population  to  get  justice  at  the  village level.

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