The Thirteenth Finance Commission made a provision of grant of Rs. 5,000 crores over a period of 2010-15 aimed at providing support to States for improving Justice delivery system. Infrastructure components in this grant include (i) Establishing ADR Centres (ii) Maintenance of Heritage Court Buildings and (iii) Creations of State Judicial Academies. A statement of funds allocated, released and utilized so far is at Annexure. Further, in order to augment the resources of the State Governments, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary is being implemented under which central assistance is provided to the State Governments for the construction of court buildings for district and subordinate courts and residential units for judicial officers. During 2014-15, Rs. 933.00 crores have been released to State Governments and Union Territories under this Scheme.
There is significant progress in utilization of funds for the following components of the grant made by the Thirteenth Finance Commission: Lok Adalat and Legal Aid, Training of Judicial Officers, Training of Public Prosecutors and Mediators, setting up of ADR Centres, and setting up of State Judicial Academies. Utilization on morning / evening / shift courts has been very low due to the following reasons:
1. Resistance from Bar Associations
2. Geographical & local constraints particularly in NE States
3. Non-availability of retired Judicial Officers for these courts
Meetings of Law/Finance Secretaries of States and Registrar Generals of the High Court are periodically held for implementation of the Thirteenth Finance Commission Award. As regards development of court infrastructure across the country, on receipt of the complete proposals from the State Governments including utilization certificates for the funds released earlier, necessary financial assistance is sanctioned to the State Governments in terms of the guidelines of the scheme.
This information was given by Union Minister of Law and Justice Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda in a written reply in Lok Sabha yesterday.
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