Gram Nyayalayas Scheme

Gram Nyayalayas are those judiciary institutes in India which are set up for providing quick redressals in case of civil and criminal disputes to the rural people. Establishment of Gram Nyayalayas is governed under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008. Gram Nyayalayas are also termed as village courts or courts of Judicial Magistrate of the first class. The Gram Nyayalayas enable justice at the village level. However due to lack of infrastructure, efficient manpower, etc, many Gram Nyayalayas are not in function in the country. Thus, Gram Nyayalayas scheme is started by the central government to remove the defects and operate the Gram Nyayalayas in almost each village for every panchayat. On July 14, 2021 Union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the decision of supporting the Gram Nyayalayas with recurring and non-recurring grants for a period of 5 years under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for development of infrastructure facilities for judiciary. Total outlay of Rs. 50 crore is granted by the central government for supporting the Gram Nyayalayas.

Overview:

Objectives and Benefits:

• The main objective of the scheme is to establish and operate Gram Nyayalayas at grass root level for assisting the rural people in case of disputes
• It tends to ensure quick redressal of disputes
• It aims at providing the rural people with access to justice
• Gram Nyayalayas aims at providing settlement of disputes at a faster speed
• This mechanism supports the judiciary system at a major level thereby resolving issues as many as possible at the village level itself
• This scheme tends to empower the mechanism with required assistance
• Under the scheme central government provides a onetime assistance of Rs. 18 lakhs at the start and then bear 50% of recurring expenses of the court for first 3 years
• It tends to strengthen the Indian judiciary system at village level

Scheme Details:

• Gram Nyayalayas are judiciary institutes also known as village courts which are established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008.
• This act came into force from October 2, 2009
• The act provides a framework for establishment, operation, infrastructure, etc of the Gram Nyayalayas in the village
• Gram Nyayalayas are aimed to establishes at village level for almost every panchayat
• Gram Nyayalayas are mainly established to provide the rural and poor people with quick redressal of disputes along with easy and quick access to justice
• Under the Gram Nyayalayas scheme, the central government provides a onetime assistance of Rs. 18 lakhs to the Gram Nyayalayas to cover an initial cost for setting up the institution
• Central government also bear about 50% of the annual recurring expenses of these courts with a maximum limit of Rs. 3.2 lakhs per court for the first 3 years of its operation
• Central government allocates the assistance amount to the states for setting up Gram Nyayalayas under big roof of Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for development of infrastructure facilities for Indian judiciary.
• On July 14, 2021, the central government announced a total outlay of Rs. 50 crores for providing recurring and non-recurring grants to the Gram Nyayalayas
• These funds will be provided only when the Gram Nyayalayas are operational and Nyayadhikaris have been appointed
• These activities are to be reported on the Gram Nyayalayas portal of Department of Justice
• After one year of reporting a review will be undertaken by concerned authorities to check whether the Gram Nyayalaya has actually been efficiently operating or not
• It would be checked if the Gram Nyayalaya actually serves its purpose of providing quick redressal and settlement of disputes and then grants will be provided
• Till date about 13 states have notified 455 Gram Nyayalayas out of which 226 are functional
• Thus, efforts are being made by the central government to bring the other Gram Nyayalayas under operation for efficient assistance to the rural people
• It will thereby assist the system and provide the rural and poor people with easy access to justice.