Economic Survey points to laws, schemes aimed at delivering justice at grassroots level

The latest Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Friday pointed to the various laws and initiatives that seek to deliver justice at the grassroots level and said rural courts or Gram Nyayalayas settled nearly three lakh cases in the past four years.

The survey referred to the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, that aims to provide access to justice at the grassroots level in rural areas.

It noted that 313 Gram Nyayalayas disposed of more than 2.99 lakh cases from December 2020 to October 2024.


Conceived as a tool to deliver affordable and quick access to justice, Gram Nyayalayas are today finding it difficult to live up to their purpose due to manpower shortage and financial crunch, the Union law ministry had recently informed Parliament.

The survey also referred to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), established under the Legal Services Authorities Act in 1987.

The authority provides free legal services to disadvantaged sections of society to ensure equal access to justice.

It operates through legal service institutions from taluk courts to the Supreme Court, offering services such as legal aid, advice, awareness programmes, Lok Adalats, and the Victim Compensation Scheme.

Besides, the government has launched the Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice in India scheme, which strengthens pre-litigation advice through tele-law, facilitates pro bono (free of charge) legal services through the Nyaya Bandhu programme, and promotes legal literacy through pan-India awareness campaigns.