Lok Sabha Question No. 4929 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-31
Subject: Fast Track Courts Scheme
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari, Beesetti  Venkata Satyavathi

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

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## TO BE ANSWRED ON FRIDAY, THE 31 st  MARCH 2023

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4929 FAST  TRACK  COURTS  SCHEME

## 4929. SHRI. N. REDDEPPA:

## DR. BEESETTI VENKATA SATYAVATHI:

Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:

- (a) the details and features of the Fast Track Courts (FTCs) Scheme;
- (b) the total number of FTCs set up and made functional against the set target as on date, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether there exists a shortfall of about 40 per cent in FTCs and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  steps  undertaken  by  the  Government  to  expedite  the  establishment  of remaining FTCs in the country; and
- (e) the details of proposed measures to be taken to improve implementation and functioning under the scheme?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) to (e): Setting up of subordinate courts including Fast Track courts (FTCs) and its functioning comes within the domain of the State Governments in consultation with  their  respective  High  Courts.  The  14 th Finance  Commission  (FC)  had

recommended for setting up of 1800 FTCs at a total cost of Rs. 4,144 crore during 2015-2020 by urging State Governments to utilize enhanced fiscal space available through tax devolution (32% to 42%) for this purpose. The basic aim for setting FTCs was speedy trial of specific  cases of  heinous  nature,  civil  cases  related  to women, children, senior citizen, disabled persons, persons infected with terminal ailments  etc  and  property  related  cases  pending  for  more  than  5  years.  As  per information made available by High Courts, 843 FTCs are functional across the country as on 31.1.2023. The States/UTs wise details of number of FTCs to be set up  and  made  functional  against  the  set  target  as  on  January,  2023  is  given  at Annexure .  Towards  the  establishment  of  more  FTCs  in  the  country,  the  Union Government has repeatedly urged the State Governments since 2015-16 onwards to setup more FTCs to make good the shortfall of the targeted number of courts. The setting up of more FTCs has featured as one of the agenda items in the Chief Ministers and Chief Justices Conference repeatedly.

However,  pursuant  to  the  Criminal  Law  Amendment  Act,  2018,  the  Central Government, since October, 2019, is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for  setting  up  1023  Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs)  including  389  exclusive POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Courts for speedy disposal of cases related to rape and POCSO Act. The Scheme, initially, was for a period of one year which has been extended up to 31 st March 2023 with a budgetary outlay of  Rs.1572.86  Cr.  including  Rs.971.70  Cr.  as  Central  Share.  As  per  information

made available by High Courts, as on 31 st January, 2023, 764 FTSCs including 411 exclusive POCSO courts are functional which have disposed more than 1,44,000 pending cases.Regular review meetings have been conducted by the Department of Justice to expedite the robust implementation of the scheme including establishment of remaining FTSCs. In addition, Minister of Law and Justice has addressed letters  to  the  Chief  Ministers  of  States/UTs  and  Chief  Justice  of  High Courts for operationalisation of the remaining FTSCs. st

For further extension of FTSCs beyond 31 March 2023,Third Party evaluation of the scheme has been undertaken by the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).

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## ANNEXURE

## Annexure for Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4929 for 31.03.2023 States/UTs wise Status of Allocated and Functional FTCs

(As on 31/3/2023)

| S.No   | State/UTs               |   No. of FTCs to be established |   Functional FTCs |
|--------|-------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------|
| 1.     | Andhra Pradesh          |                              47 |                22 |
| 2.     | Telangana               |                              37 |                 0 |
| 3.     | Assam                   |                              36 |                18 |
| 4.     | Arunachal Pradesh       |                               0 |                 0 |
| 5.     | Mizoram                 |                               7 |                 2 |
| 6.     | Nagaland                |                               3 |                 0 |
| 7.     | Bihar                   |                             147 |                 0 |
| 8.     | Chhattisgarh            |                              28 |                23 |
| 9.     | Gujarat                 |                             174 |                51 |
| 10.    | Himachal Pradesh        |                              13 |                 3 |
| 11.    | Jammu &Kashmir          |                              21 |                 4 |
| 12.    | Jharkhand               |                              50 |                34 |
| 13.    | Karnataka               |                              95 |                 0 |
| 14.    | Kerala                  |                              41 |                 0 |
| 15.    | Lakshadweep             |                               0 |                 0 |
| 16.    | Madhya Pradesh          |                             133 |                 0 |
| 17.    | Maharashtra             |                             203 |               111 |
| 18.    | D &N, Daman and Diu     |                               1 |                 0 |
| 19.    | Goa                     |                               5 |                 4 |
| 20.    | Manipur                 |                               3 |                 6 |
| 21.    | Meghalaya               |                               4 |                 0 |
| 22.    | Odisha                  |                              63 |                 0 |
| 23.    | Punjab                  |                              50 |                 7 |
| 24.    | Haryana                 |                              48 |                 6 |
| 25.    | Chandigarh              |                               2 |                 0 |
| 26.    | Rajasthan               |                              93 |                 0 |
| 27.    | Sikkim                  |                               1 |                 2 |
| 28.    | Tamil Nadu              |                              87 |                73 |
| 29.    | Puducherry              |                               2 |                 0 |
| 30.    | Tripura                 |                               9 |                 3 |
| 31.    | Uttar Pradesh           |                             212 |               372 |
| 32.    | Uttarakhand             |                              28 |                 4 |
| 33.    | West Bengal, A&NIslands |                              94 |                88 |
| 34.    | Delhi                   |                              63 |                10 |
| Total  |                         |                            1800 |               843 |