Lok Sabha Question No. 2190 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: Assessment of Nari Adalats
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Raja Ram Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2190

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2025

## ASSESSMENT OF NARI ADALATS

2190# Shri Raja Ram Singh:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) the current status of Nari Adalats in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b) the  details  of  cases  addressed  in  these  adalats  along  with  the  representatives operating in the said adalats;
- (c) whether the Ministry has constituted a committee to assess the impact of said adalats in the States where they are already operational, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any further mechanisms are available for women to seek justice if issue remain unresolved at this level, is so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Ministry has also set up a grievance redressal office to file complaints about the proceedings of these adalats, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the details of stakeholders involved in setting up of the said adalats along with the consultations held with them?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) to (f) Nari Adalat has been introduced as a pilot initiative under the Sambal vertical of Mission Shakti for 15th  Finance  Commission period.  Nari  Adalat are  structured  through Women Collectives formed at the panchayat level and each collective includes seven to nine members known as Nyaya Sakhis, with one as the Mukhya Nyaya Sakhi to lead and coordinate activities. The concerned State/District is responsible for the overall management and functioning of the Nari Adalat, including the identification, selection, and nomination of its members. The Gram Panchayat, in a meeting chaired by the Panchayat President/Sarpanch and attended by the BDO/SDM or their representative, selects socially respected and committed women to serve as members, known as Nyaya Sakhis.

The  scheme  aims  to  offer  services  such  as  alternative  dispute  resolution,  grievance redressal, counselling, and decision-making based on evidence at Gram Panchayat level. However Nari Adalat is not a formal court and hence any aggrieved woman can and shall always have recourse to legal mechanism as per her need.

Meetings of Nari Adalat are held fortnightly at the Gram Panchayat Office, Government Primary  School,  Common  Service  Centres,  Anganwadi  Centres,  or  any  other  place designated by the State Government or Union Territories to address the cases brought to Nari Adalat. However, if the head of the Nari Adalat deems it necessary, meeting may be convened at any time.

The scheme is demand driven and piloted in 50 Gram Panchayats each in the State of Assam and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir from FY 2023-24.  As per the proposal received, 10 Gram Panchayats each in 16 States namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttrakhand, Sikkim, Maharashtra and 5 Gram Panchayats each in 2 UTs namely Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Dadra Nagar Haveli/Daman& Diu have been approved for implementation of scheme on pilot basis.

Nari Adalat is Centrally Sponsored Scheme with 100 percent Central Share and the overall implementation of scheme lies with the State Governments/UT Administrations. Further, once in a year, the Programme Approval Board monitors with States/UTs, the progress of the overall activities of scheme and review status of achievement of objectives. Apart from this,  officials  of  the  Ministry  continuously  review  the  scheme  through  meetings,  video conferencing and by making field visits to States/UTs from time to time.

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