Lok Sabha Question No. 2373 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-13
Subject: DISHA Scheme
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Tejasvi Surya

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2373 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 13 th  FEBRUARY, 2026

## DISHA SCHEME

## 2373. SHRI TEJASVI SURYA:

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

- (a) the key details regarding the Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice in India (DISHA) scheme, including the total financial outlay across various components of the scheme, the number of registered advocates, the number of beneficiaries and other relevant performance details;
- (b) whether the Government has under taken any assessment of the implementation of the DISHA scheme, including its impact, performance against predefined targets, efficiency of delivery and other outcome-based indicators and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  plans  of  the  Government  regarding  the  DISHA  scheme  upon  the  conclusion  of  its current period in 2026, including whether any proposal exists to extend or restructure the scheme and if so, the details thereof?

## 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 Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme, namely, Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA), with a total outlay of Rs. 250 crores for a period of five years (2021-2026). It aims to  provide  a  comprehensive,  integrated  solution  on Access  to  Justice  at  a  pan  India  level through the components of Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu, Nyaya Mitra (discontinued in 2023) and Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programmes. It is citizen-centric, inclusive, and leverages

technology for ensuring ease of justice to the beneficiaries. The Component wise breakup of the total financial outlay is as follows:

(Rs. in Crores)

| S.No.   | Particulars                                                                       |   Financial Outlay of DISHAScheme (2021-26) |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 1.      | Tele-Law: Reaching the Unreached.                                                 |                                      194.52 |
| 2.      | Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) Programme (Citizen Centric Legal Services) |                                        5.34 |
| 3.      | Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness (LLLAP)                                        |                                       23.38 |
| 4.      | Nyaya Mitra Programme                                                             |                                       10.4  |
| 5.      | Programme Management Unit                                                         |                                        5    |
| 6.      | Contingency Cost                                                                  |                                        2    |
|         | Total                                                                             |                                      250    |

Under the DISHA scheme, Tele Law connects citizens with the lawyers through Mobile App and Toll Free No. 14454 for rendering pre-litigation advice through the use of video/Tele conferencing  facilities  available  at  the  Common  Service  Centres  (CSCs)/Village  Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) at the Panchayat level. Under the Tele Law outreach programme, Nyaya Sahayaks are active  as  community  based  legal  facilitators  in  the  aspirational  blocks  of  the country. They play a critical role in  creating  awareness  about  legal  rights  and  entitlements through door-to-door outreach, community interactions and local campaigns. A total of 269 panel lawyers are registered under Tele-Law Program as of 31 st January 2026.

Under the Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) programme, interested Pro Bono Advocates are registered and connected to the beneficiaries (who are entitled for free legal aid under  Section  12  of  the  Legal  Services Authorities Act,  1987)  through  the  Nyaya  Bandhu Application (available iOS/Android/UMANG Platform). A panel of Pro Bono Advocates has also been constituted in 23 High Courts to strengthen institutional mechanisms for delivering pro bono legal services to the beneficiary. As on 31 st January, 2026, 10,133 advocates have volunteered and registered on Nyaya Bandhu platform. Further, to instil the spirit of pro bono work among law students and nurture a long-term commitment to legal services, Pro Bono Clubs have been constituted across 109 law colleges in the country.

Under the erstwhile Nyaya Mitra programme, focus was to facilitate the disposal of 10 year  old  or  more  pending  cases  at  the  District  Level.  Under  the  Legal  Literacy  and  Legal Awareness  Programme,  institutional  collaboration  is  done  with  reputed  Government  and private organisations to prepare information and communication (IEC) materials in the form of books, training modules, workshops, etc.,  to promote legal literacy and awareness.

The DISHA Scheme has a sunset date of 31 st March, 2026, as it is aligned with XV Finance Commission Cycle.  M/s. Quality Council of India (QCI) has done the Third-Party Evaluation and Impact Assessment of DISHA Scheme and highlighted the relevance of the Scheme.

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