NONGPOH, 9 May: Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, on Saturday stressed the need for convergence of legal aid and welfare schemes to ensure last-mile delivery of justice.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating an awareness camp in Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi district, Justice Kant, who is also the patron-in-chief of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), said healthcare access, educational support, livelihood opportunities and rehabilitation assistance are being brought together through such camps to ensure that benefits reached the grassroots.
“It is very essential that under one roof all these welfare schemes implemented by government departments, organisations and legal institutions are made available to all,” he said, urging all stakeholders to work in tandem to strengthen access to justice.
The CJI also acknowledged the role of paralegal volunteers in delivering legal services at the grassroots level and called for strengthening their recruitment.
Speaking on the occasion, Supreme Court Judge, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, highlighted the importance of aligning traditional justice systems with the constitutional framework while appreciating Meghalaya’s unique customary practices.
Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya, Justice Revati Mohite Dere, said the mega camp was aimed at ensuring that legal help reached the people at their doorstep.
Later, high court judges Justice HS Thangkhiew and Justice W Diengdoh flagged off multi-utility vehicles under the NALSA grant-in-aid scheme. (PTI)