Lok Sabha Question No. 3756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-21
Subject: National and State Legal Service Authority
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION N0.3756 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2021

## NATIONAL AND STATE LEGAL SERVICE AUTHORITY

## 3756. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of cases in which the National and State Legal Service Authorities supported the victims of atrocities against SCs and STs in 2020 and 2021;
- (6) the number of awareness camps being organised under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and Rules 1995 by the National and State Legal Service Authority in 2020 and 2021;
- (c) the budget allocated for the National and State Legal  Service Authority to support the victims, under the said Act and Rules for 2020 and 2021; and
- (d) whether the State Government has prepared any plans in the past or proposed any measures so aS to engage the victims of atrocities with State Service Legal Authority, if $0, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)

- (a): National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) does not maintain any specific data so as such to indicate that in how many cases victims of atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) were provided legal services

However, under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act; 1987, NALSA has been empowered to provide free legal services to a member of Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes irrespective of their income. NALSA does not make any distinction regarding the category of cases in which the assistance is sought by any person belonging to the SC and ST categories and provide all sort of assistance to the said categories.

The details of the persons belonging to SC and ST category were benefited through legal services under the Legal Services Authorities Act; 1987, the financial year 2020-21 and the current financial year 2021-22 (upto October; 2021) are as under:during

| Years                 |   No. of persons  belongs to SC category were benefited through Legal Services. |   No. of persons  belongs to ST category were benefited through Legal Services. |
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2020-21               |                                                                           33335 |                                                                           39064 |
| 2021-22 (upto Oct.21) |                                                                          220237 |                                                                          211171 |

(6): NALSA does not maintain any specific data so as such to indicate that how many awareness camps were organised under the   Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; 1989 and Rules 1995.

However; Legal Awareness   Camps   for poor and marginalized  communities including SCISTs were organised by State Legal Services Authorities under the aegis of NALSA

The details of the programmes organised  and persons attended these programmes during the financial year 2020-21 are as under: -

| Years                 |   Programmes organized | Persons attended   |
|-----------------------|------------------------|--------------------|
| 2020-21               |                 126541 | 1,30,69,637        |
| 2021-22 (upto Oct.21) |                 532808 | 24,16,45,242       |

(c): No funds have been allocated to NALSA to support victims under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; 1989 and Rules 1995. specific

However; a  Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act; 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the   Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; 1989 is in force, under which the Central Assistance is released to the States for   effective   implementation of the PCR Act; 1955 and the   Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; 1989 and the Rules made thereunder: The funding pattern of the Scheme is as such that total expenditure over and above the committed on 50.50 basis between  the Central Government  and   concerned State Government and the Union Territory Administration receives 100% Central assistance.

Under the Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme assistance is provided to State Government/Union Territory  mainly for functioning and strengthening of the Scheduled Castes ad Scheduled Tribes Protection Cell and Special Police Stations, Setting up and functioning of exclusive Special Courts, Relief and Rehabilitation of atrocity victims, Cash incentive for Inter-Caste Marriages and Awareness generation:

(d): No such data is maintained in this department:

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