Lok Sabha Question No. 3726 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-11
Subject: Allocation of Funds for Expansion of Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Arun Kumar Sagar

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3726 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 11 TH  AUGUST, 2023

Allocation of Funds for Expansion of Courts

## †3726. SHRI ARUN KUMAR SAGAR:

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

- (a)  the  details  of  the  amount  allocated  for  modernization  and  infrastructural expansion of lower courts, the High Courts and Supreme Court during the last five years and the current year;
- (b) whether the said amount is sufficient and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, whether the Government proposes to increase the said amount during the ensuing year; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) to (d) :The primary responsibility for development of infrastructure facilities for judiciary rests with the State Governments. To supplement the resources of the State Governments/UTs,  the  Union  Government  has  been  implementing  a  Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  (CSS)  for  the  Development  of  Infrastructure  Facilities  for  the Judiciary since 1993-94 by providing financial assistance to them in the prescribed fund-sharing pattern between  the Centre and States.  The  scheme  covers  the construction of court buildings and residential accommodations for judicial officers of  District and Subordinate judiciary only.  From the year 2021, besides court halls and residential units, new components of digital computer room, lawyers' halls and toilet complexes have also been added under the ambit of the above CSS.

A  sum  of  Rs.  10051  crores  has  been  released  under  the  above  CSS,  so  far since its inception, out of which Rs. 6607 crores (66%) has been released since 201415.  During  last  five  years  (2018-19  to  2022-23)  an  amount  of  Rs.  3,766  crore  has been released to the State/UTs. In the current financial year, against allocated amount of  Rs.1051  crore,  funds  to  the  tune  of  Rs.  185  crore  has  been  released  to  the States/UTs till date.

The  scheme  has  been  extended  from  2021-22  to  2025-26  with  a  budgetary outlay  of  Rs.  9000  crores  including  central  share  of  Rs.  5307.00  crore  for  this scheme. There are 21,360  number of court  halls  and  18,863  number  of  residential units available in the district and subordinate courts against the working strength of 19,858 Judges/Judicial Officers as on 31.07.2023. As per Nyaya Vikas Portal, 2,843 Court Halls and 1,745 residential units are under construction.

Allocation  of  funds  is  done  year-wise  by  the  Government.  In  the  current financial year Rs. 1051 crore has been allocated for the scheme, against Rs.848 crore allocated for the last financial year which is an increase of 19 percent.

As  far  as  High  Court  is  concerned  the  provision  of  infrastructure  in  High Courts is the responsibility of the State Governments concerned. Further the cost of infrastructure facilities for Supreme Court is being met through provisions under the budgetary head of Supreme Court.For the construction of additional office complex of the Supreme Court of India at land adjoining to Pragati Maidan, New Delhi the following funds were given through CPWD by the Government:

|   Sl. | Date       | Details of work for which approval was given                                                                                                       |
|-------|------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|     1 | 11.07.2012 | Administrative approval issued to CPWD for construction of additional building complex of Supreme Court at estimated cost of ₹.884.30 crore.       |
|     2 | 27.03.2018 | Administrative approval issued for Pneumatic Waste Disposal System of ₹.6.5 crore to CPWD, within savings in the approved estimate.                |
|     3 | 04.04.2019 | Administrative approval given to CPWD to incur additional expenditure of ₹.16.58 crore (₹.7.19 crore for LAN Component and ₹.9.39 crore for VOIP). |
|     4 | 11.04.2019 | Administrative approval given to CPWD to incur additional expenditure of ₹.30.50 crore for integrated security system.                             |

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