Lok Sabha Question No. 2072 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-10
Subject: Justice System at Village Level
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Sanjay Bhatia, Satyadev Pachauri

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. †2072

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 10 TH   DECEMBER,  2021

## Justice System at Village Level

## †2072. SHRI SANJAY BHATIA: SHRI SATYADEV PACHAURI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any plan  to  set  up  courts at  the  village  level,  so  that  an accessible justice system can be evolved for the rural people  and  strengthen  village  Panchayats;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the number of rural courts set up and functional across the country during each of the last two years and the current year, State/UT-wise  including  Uttar  Pradesh,  Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand; and
- (c) whether the  Government  has  conducted  any assessment to evaluate the viability of these rural courts, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b): To provide access to justice to the citizens 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, though as per the  Act  it  is  not  mandatory  to  set  up  the  Gram  Nyayalayas.    The  Central

Government has been encouraging the States to set up Gram Nyayalayas by providing  financial  assistance.  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.    Further,  Registrars  General  of High Courts and Law / Home / Finance Secretaries of State Governments have been requested through video conference meetings held periodically to set  up  Gram  Nyayalayas  and  seek  financial  assistance  as  per  the  scheme guidelines.

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. While  the  State  of  Uttarakhand  has  not  set  up  any  Gram  Nyayalaya,  the number of Gram Nyayalayas set up and functional in the country during the last three years, including the State of  Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajathan, is attached at Annexure .

(c): 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.

******

ANNEXURE

STATEMENT REFERRED TO  IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) & (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO. †2072 ANSWER  ON  10 TH DECEMBER  2021  REGARDING  JUSTICE  SYSTEM  AT  VILLAGE LEVEL.

| Sl. No         | State   | Number of Gram Nyayalayas functional in 2019   |   Number of Gram Nyayalayas functional in 2020 | Number of Gram Nyayalayas functional in 2021   |
|----------------|---------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| Madhya Pradesh | 89      | 87                                             |                                             89 | 1                                              |
| Rajasthan      | 45      | 45                                             |                                             45 | 2                                              |
| Kerala         | 30      | 30                                             |                                             30 | 3                                              |
| Maharashtra    | 24      | 24                                             |                                             23 | 4                                              |
| Odisha         | 14      | 16                                             |                                             19 | 5                                              |
| Uttar Pradesh  | 4       | 14                                             |                                             43 | 6                                              |
| Karnataka      | -       | -                                              |                                              2 | 7                                              |
| Haryana        | 2       | 2                                              |                                              2 | 8                                              |
| Punjab         | 1       | 2                                              |                                              2 | 9                                              |
| Jharkhand      | 1       | 1                                              |                                              1 | 10                                             |
|                | 210     | 221                                            |                                            256 |                                                |

****