Expansion of Judicial Infrastructure

The primary responsibility of infrastructure development for subordinate judiciary and High Courts rests with the respective State Government. The Government of India has been augmenting the resources of the State Governments in this regard through a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for infrastructure development of Judiciary since 1993-94. Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister of Law & Justice, said that with a view to enhancing the Central assistance to the States, the Government has increased the central share by revising the funding pattern from 50:50 to 75:25 (for States other than North Eastern States) under modified Centrally Sponsored Scheme for development of infrastructure facilities for the judiciary from the year 2011-12 onwards. The funding pattern for North-Eastern States is 90:10. 

Shri Khurshid said that the modified Centrally Sponsored Scheme does not cover High Court buildings for which Central assistance is being provided to States directly by Planning Commission as one time Additional Central Assistance (ACA) in the ratio of 30:70 (Centre/State). 

The cost of infrastructure facilities for Supreme Court is being met through non-Plan budgetary provisions under the Ministry of Urban Development. 

An amount of Rs.1150.45 crore was released to states / UTs under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for development of infrastructure facilities for judiciary during Eleventh Five-Year Plan period. An amount of Rs.270.39 crore has been released so far in the first year of Twelfth Five-Year Plan i.e. current financial year. 

The Minister further informed the House that the Planning Commission has approved one time ACA of Rs. 41.50 crore for construction of building for High Court at Jodhpur during 2010-2011 and ACA of Rs. 231.31 crore for construction of building of Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court during current financial year. Two proposals of construction of new office building / additional office complex with preliminary estimates of Rs. 84.20 crores and Rs. 884.30 crore have been approved for Supreme Court as non-Plan projects during the current financial year. Based on estimated requirement of infrastructure development for the subordinate judiciary by the High Courts on the revised funding pattern, Central assistance of Rs. 5510 crore would be required by the States during the period 2011-2016. An amount of Rs. 595.74 crore has been released to the States during 2011-12. A requirement of Rs. 5000 crore has been projected for the purpose during Twelfth Five Year Plan period. A budget provision of Rs. 660.00 crore has been allocated for the Scheme in the current financial year (2012-13), Shri Salman Khurshid informed the Lok Sabha.