CJI sends proposal to set up National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India

New Delhi: Days after Chief Justice of India N V Ramana pressed for establishing a new body to improve judicial infrastructure, the government on Friday said it has received a proposal from him to set up the National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India (NJIAI).

In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said a proposal has been received from the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for setting up of NJIAI for the arrangement of adequate infrastructure for courts.

According to the proposal, there will be a governing body with CJI as patron-in-chief. ”The other salient features in the proposal are that NJIAI will act as a central body in laying down the roadmap for planning, creation, development, maintenance, and management of functional infrastructure for the Indian court system, besides, identical structures under all the (25) high courts,” he said.

At present, the primary responsibility of the development of infrastructure facilities for the judiciary rests with state governments. To augment the resources of state governments, the Union government has been implementing a centrally sponsored scheme for the development of infrastructure facilities in the district and subordinate courts by providing financial assistance to state governments and union territories (UTs) in the prescribed fund sharing pattern, he noted.

The scheme is being implemented since 1993-94. Till date, the central government has sanctioned Rs 8709.77 crore under the scheme to states and UTs. The scheme has been extended from time to time.

Under the scheme, funds are released by the central government for the construction of court buildings and residential accommodations for judicial officers of the district and subordinate judiciary. The government has extended the scheme for a further period of five years from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026, with a total budgetary outlay of Rs 9000 crore, including a central share of Rs 5307 crore, he informed the House.