DISHA 2.0 (Government Schemes & Initiatives)
DISHA 2.0 (Government Schemes & Initiatives)
Why In News:
The Union Minister of State for Law and Justice approved DISHA 2.0 with an outlay of Rs 255 Crore (2026-31). The programme targets 3 crore beneficiaries across all states and Union Territories through technology-enabled legal aid delivery.
What is DISHA?
DISHA stands for Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice.
It is a central sector scheme under the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, aimed at improving access to justice for marginalised citizens through digital and pro bono legal platforms.
Four Key Components of DISHA 2.0
Tele-Law: Provides free pre-litigation legal advice through 2.5 lakh+ Common Service Centres (CSCs) across states and UTs. Lawyers connect via video conference, eliminating the need for physical court visits for initial consultation.
Nyaya Bandhu: A pro bono legal services programme where advocates and law students provide free services to eligible citizens who cannot afford legal representation.
Legal Literacy and Awareness Programme: Awareness campaigns through Ministries, Civil Society Organisations, Universities, and Media to educate citizens about their legal rights.
VIDHI-Sanjeevani: A centralised digital platform for end-to-end programme monitoring, tracking outcomes and beneficiaries across all DISHA components.
New Features in DISHA 2.0
AI-powered Nyaya Setu Chatbot: Provides instant, first-level legal guidance in multiple Indian languages.
Centralised Digital Dashboard: Enables real-time monitoring of legal aid delivery for transparency and accountability.
BHASHINI-based Multilingual Access: Ensures non-Hindi-speaking citizens can access legal services in their native language.