ORGANIZATIONAL SET UP

The Department is headed by the Secretary, who is a Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer. In addition to Secretary (Justice), the organizational setup includes three Joint Secretaries, five Directors / Deputy Secretaries and seven Under Secretaries. In addition to the matters connected with the appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts, the Department is also assigned the task of implementation and monitoring of Plan and Non-Plan Schemes; including the recently set-up National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms. 

SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED AND MONITORED BY THE DEPARTMENT 

The Schemes, which are implemented and monitored by the Department of Justice, are as follows:- 

PLAN SCHEMES: National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms has been set up with its period coinciding with the 12th Five Year Plan. It provides a platform for addressing the issues which affects the performance of the Judiciary. Infrastructure Development for Subordinate Judiciary is the thrust area of National Mission. Other Schemes / programmes mentioned below support objectives of National Mission: 

(i) Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructural Facilities for the Judiciary. 

(ii) Scheme for Computerization of the District and Subordinate Courts. This Scheme is being implemented as a Mission Mode Project, titled, “ëCourt MMP”. 

(iii) Access to Justice – Government of India Project. 

(iv) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assisted externally aided project (EAP) “Access to Justice for Marginalized in India”. 

(v) Financial support to the States Governments for operationalisation of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008. 

(vi) Action Research and Studies on Judicial Reforms. 

(vii) Setting up of Model Courts (The Scheme is yet to be approved). 

NON-PLAN SCHEMES: The Non-Plan Schemes being implemented and monitored by the Department of Justice are as under:- 

1. Grant-in-aid to the National Judicial Academy (NJA), Bhopal for meeting its operational expenditure. 

2. Central assistance to the States at specified rates for the operation of Family Courts. 

3. Grants-in-aid to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to monitor and evaluate implementation of legal-aid programmes and to lay down policies and principles for making legal services available under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. The Plan and Non-Plan Schemes implemented by the Department of Justice and the subjects dealt with by the Department of Justice aim at providing support to the High Courts and the States for facilitating improved administration of justice, reducing backlog and pendency of cases in the courts.