(a) the details of funds allocated for modernisation and infrastructure development of high courts and lower courts during the last year and the current year, court-wise;
(b) whether the Government has received proposals to increase the said allocation; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW & JUSTICE
AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS
(SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (c): Government of India has allocated funds for district and subordinate courts across the country for modernization and infrastructure development of lower courts.
The Union Government has been administering a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary since the year 1993-94 in order to augment the resources of State Governments in this regard in association with the States / UT Governments. It covers the construction of court halls and court complexes and residential accommodations of judicial officers of District and Subordinate Judiciary. As on date, Rs. 6355.79 crores has been sanctioned since the inception of the scheme in the year 1993-94. During 2017-18, Rs. 621.21 crores was allocated, which was fully utilized, and Rs. 622.00 crores has been allocated under the scheme during 2018-19. A statement on release of funds under the scheme to States/UTs during last year (2017-18) and current year (2018-19) is given at Annexure I.
The Government is also implementing eCourts Mission Mode Project for information and communication technology (ICT) enablement of district and subordinate courts across the country, in association with the eCommittee, of the Supreme Court of India. The eCourts Mission Mode Project Phase I was implemented during 2010 – 2015, wherein Rs. 639.41 crores was released for computerisation of district and subordinate courts. At the end of Phase-I, out of the total target of computerisation of 14,249 district and subordinate courts, sites for all 14,249 courts (100%) were made ready for computerisation, LAN was installed at 13,643 courts, hardware provided in 13,436 courts and software was installed in 13,672 courts. Laptops were provided to 14,309 judicial officers and change management exercise was completed in all the High Courts. Over 14,000 Judicial Officers were trained in the use of UBUNTU-Linux Operating System and more than 4000 court staff have been trained in Case Information System (CIS) as System Administrators. Video Conferencing facility was operationalised between 488 court complexes and 342 corresponding jails.
Under the Phase II of eCourts Project (2015-19) till date, Rs. 1073.18 crores has been released against the financial outlay of Rs.1670 crores. Computerisation of 16,089 district and subordinate courts has been completed, through provisioning of computer hardware, Local Area Network (LAN), and installation of standard application software in district and subordinate courts. A statement on funds released to High Courts for computerization of lower courts during last year (2017-18) and current year (2018-19) is given at Annexure II.
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Annexure I
STATEMENT GIVING GRANTS RELEASED/SANCTIONED
UNDER CSS SCHEME FOR INFRASTRUCTURAL FACILITIES FOR JUDICIARY
(as on 3/8/2018)
(Rupees in Lakhs)
Sl. No. State Release in 2017-18 Release in 2018-19
1 Andhra Pradesh NIL NIL
2 Bihar 4290.00 3202.00
3 Chhattisgarh NIL NIL
4 Goa NIL NIL
5 Gujarat 5000.00 1502.00
6 Haryana 1500.00 NIL
7 Himachal Pradesh NIL NIL
8 Jammu & Kashmir 1000.00 1021.00
9 Jharkhand 5000.00 959.00
10 Karnataka 5000.00 3812.00
11 Kerala 2500.00 NIL
12 Madhya Pradesh 5000.00 NIL
13 Maharashtra 5000.00 1058.00
14 Odisha NIL NIL
15 Punjab 5000.00 1447.00
16 Rajasthan 1734.00
17 Tamilnadu NIL NIL
18 Uttarakhand 2500.00 1321.00
19 UttarPradesh 7500.00 6403.00
20 West Bengal 1734.00 3522.00
Total (A) 52758.00 24247.00
NE States
1. Arunachal Pradesh NIL NIL
2. Assam 2000.00 1308.00
3. Manipur NIL NIL
4. Meghalaya 863.00 NIL
5. Mijoram 2000.00 NIL
6. Nagaland 2000.00 NIL
7. Sikkim NIL NIL
8. Tripura NIL NIL
Total (B) 6863.00 1308.00
UTs
1. A&N Islands NIL NIL
2. Chandigarh NIL NIL
3. Dadra & Nagar Haveili NIL NIL
4. Daman & Diew NIL NIL
5. Delhi 2500.00 NIL
6. Lakshadweep NIL NIL
7. Puducherry NIL NIL
Total (C) 2500.00 0.00
Grand Total (A+B+C) 62121.00 25555.00
Annexure - II
Sr.
No High Courts Release in 2017-18 Release in 2018-19
1 Allahabad 2057.00 85.00
2 Bombay 4722.00 NIL
3 Calcutta 1072.00 NIL
4 Chhattisgarh 934.00 NIL
5 Delhi 897.00 NIL
6 Gauhati (Arunachal Pradesh) 137.00 75.00
7 Gauhati (Assam) 813.00 NIL
8 Gauhati (Mizoram) 247.00 NIL
9 Gauhati (Nagaland) 183.00 55.00
10 Gujarat 2906.00 1060.00
11 Himachal Pradesh 405.00 NIL
12 Jammu & Kashmir 1059.00 NIL
13 Jharkhand 292.00 440.00
14 Karnataka 2204.00 NIL
15 Kerala 1473.00 448.00
16 Madhya Pradesh 2251.00 NIL
17 Madras 2545.00 NIL
18 Manipur 119.00 47.00
19 Meghalaya 365.00 47.00
20 Orissa 1270.00 146.00
21 Patna 872.00 NIL
22 Punjab & Haryana 1154.00 836.00
23 Rajasthan 2505.00 275.00
24 Sikkim 140.00 20.00
25 Telangana & Andhra Pradesh 3395.00 800.00
26 Tripura 286.00 15.00
27 Uttarakhand 460.00 NIL
Total 34763.00 4349.00