With an allocation of Rs 2,167.24 crore in the Union Budget for 2018-19, the judiciary which is struggling to cope with huge pendency of cases got a hike of just about six per cent over the budget for the current financial year.
The allocation of Rs 2,167 crore is not even a miniscule part of the over Rs 24 lakh crore budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday. The allocation for 2018-19 is up by Rs 145.43 crore as it was allocated Rs 2,021.81 crore for year 2017-18.
The budget allocation includes expenditure of Rs 348.06 crore for the establishment expenditure of the centre covering secretariat and tax tribunals.
The National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms that includes Action Research and Studies on Judicial Reforms (ARSJR), e-Courts Phase II, Strengthening of Access to Justice in India (SAJI), the budgetary allocation is Rs 497 crore - which up by Rs 109.80 crore from Rs 387.20 crore earmarked in the revised budget estimates for year 2017-18.
Under the Action Research and Studies on Judicial Reforms (ARSJR) the financial assistance is extended to the institutions working in the field of justice delivery, legal education and research and judicial reforms.
Allocation for the autonomous institutions - International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR), National Judicial Academy, National Legal Services Authority, Indian Law Institute (ILI), Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies (ICPS) - is Rs. 94.15 crore -- down by Rs 23.88 crore compared to Rs 118.03 crore allocated in the revised budget estimates.
The Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary has witnessed an allocation of Rs 630 crore, an increase of just Rs 79 lakh over Rs 629.21 crore provided under the revised budget estimates for 2017-18.
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The allocations under the Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary are used for providing grants/assistances for the development of infrastructure in States, Union Territories and the North-Eastern Region and Sikkim under the centrally sponsored schemes and Gram Nyayalayas.
While allocation for the development of infrastructure facilities for the judiciary in the States, Union Territories and the North-Eastern Region and Sikkim stands at Rs 622 crore - up by Rs 79 lakh - over the last year's revised allocation of Rs 621.21 crore.
The allocation for Gram Nyayalayas - justice at doorsteps - is Rs. 8 crore. It remains unaltered as same amount was allocated under the budget for 2017-18.
There is no allocation for the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR).
Apparently ICADR is not a favoured baby of the government as even in the last budget it had got Rs 10,000 only.
The allocation for National Legal Service Authority is down by Rs 20 crore as Finance Minister has allocated Rs 80 crore for the year 2018-19 compared to Rs 100 crore in the outgoing financial year.
There is hike of Rs 57.70 crore under the head - administration of justice - which stands at Rs 598.03 crore compared to Rs 540.33 crore under the revised budget estimates for year 2017-18.
The budget has earmarked Rs 251.06 crore for the establishment expenditure of the Supreme Court of India which is down by Rs 3.94 crore compared to Rs 255 crore under the revised budget estimates for 2017-18.
Similarly, under the developmental head, there is an allocation of Rs 251.06 crore administration of justice which is again down by Rs 3.94 crore compared to Rs 255 crore under the revised budget estimates for 2017-18.
The allocation for the Supreme Court of India provides for its administrative and other expenditure that includes the salaries and travel expenses of Chief Justice and other Judges, staff and officers of the Registry including the Departmental Canteen, and other things.
The allocation seems to be unrealistic as there is considerable hike in the salaries and allowances of the judges.
--IANS
pk/rn
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