Lok Sabha Question No. 5534 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-04
Subject: Justice for SC/ST and Marginalized Communities
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Adv. Chandra Shekhar

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5534 ANSWERED ON 04.04.2025

## JUSTICE FOR SC/ST AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES

## 5534. ADV. CHANDRA SHEKHAR:

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

- (a) the initiatives taken by the Government to improve access to justice for SC/ST and other marginalized communities, particularly in rural and remote areas of the country;
- (b) the details of the schemes which have been launched to provide free or subsidized legal aid to the said communities; and
- (c) the total number of people from the said communities who have benefited from these schemes in the last three years?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): The Government has taken several initiatives to improve access to justice for citizens including SC/ST and other marginalized communities, particularly in rural and remote areas of the country. National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) had been setup under the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society including beneficiaries covered under Section 12 of the LSA Act. This

Act provides that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities and Lok Adalats are organized for amicable settlement of disputes. For this purpose, the legal services institutions have been setup from the Taluk Court level to the Supreme Court.

The details of number of people from SC /ST and other marginalized communities benefited through legal aid services provided by the Legal Services Institutions in the country during the last three financial years; 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 (upto December, 2024) are as follows: -

| Year                         | SC       | ST       | *Other Marginalized Communities   | Total     |
|------------------------------|----------|----------|-----------------------------------|-----------|
| 2022-23                      | 93,796   | 78,556   | 10,42,417                         | 12,14,769 |
| 2023-24                      | 1,07,673 | 1,00,823 | 13,41,668                         | 15,50,164 |
| 2024-25 (upto December 2024) | 89,351   | 86,824   | 10,03,625                         | 11,79,800 |

* Marginalized Communities include Women, Children , In Custody, Persons with Disability, Industrial Workmen, Transgender, Victim of Trafficking in Human beings or Begar, Victims of Mass Disaster Violence, Flood, Draught, Earthquake and Industrial Disaster, General whose annual income does not exceed the prescribed limit, and Others.

In addition to this, the Government is also implementing the scheme titled 'Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice in India' (DISHA), which aims to provide easy, accessible, affordable and citizen-centric delivery of pre-litigation advice and other services. Under this scheme, there are three programs namely: a) Tele-Law which connects citizens with the lawyers through mobile app 'Tele- Law' and Toll Free number for rendering pre-litigation advice, (b) Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) which facilitates registered beneficiaries to avail pro bono legal representation in courts and (c) under the Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme, citizens are empowered to know, understand and avail their legal rights, duties and entitlements. Under the Tele-Law Program, 1,10,38,557 beneficiaries have been covered as on 31 st March 2025 and the number of people from the SC/ST and other marginalized communities (OBCs) ,who have benefited from Tele-Law program in the last three years , is as follows:-

| Year                      | SC        | ST       | OBC       | Total     |
|---------------------------|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|
| 2022-23                   | 6,48,403  | 3.10,718 | 5,38,204  | 14,97,325 |
| 2023-24                   | 13,79,780 | 4,70,347 | 14,27,018 | 19,97,145 |
| 2024-25 (upto March 2025) | 9,46,570  | 4,07,388 | 10,02,382 | 14,54,190 |

The category-wise data in respect of Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono legal Services) and Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme (LLLAP) is not maintained.

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