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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 123
ANSWERED ON 29/01/2026
ESTABLISHING LEGAL RESOURCE CENTRES IN TRIBAL BELTS
123 SHRI NIRANJAN BISHI:
Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Ministry supports the State of Odisha in establishing legal resource centres in tribal
belts for dispute resolution under customary and statutory laws; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND
JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY
AFFAIRS
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)
(a) and (b): The Government has set up National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) under the
Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 to provide free and competent legal services to the
poor and marginalised sections of the society including Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe
(ST) to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of
economic or other disabilities, and to organize Lok Adalats to secure that the operation of the legal
system promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunities. In order to reach out to the citizens in
every corner of the country including Odisha, the legal services institutions have been setup from
the Taluk level up to the Supreme Court.
NALSA has notified National Legal Services Authority (Legal Services Clinics)
Regulations, 2011 which provides establishment of District Legal Services Clinics in all villages,
or for a cluster of villages, depending on the size of such villages, which is called the Village Legal
Care and Support Centre. Accordingly, 132 Village Legal Care & Support Centres have been setup by the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) and Taluk Legal Services Committees
(TLSCs) in Odisha to help the marginalised people including tribals to resolve their legal problems,
whenever required. The details of persons visited and provided with assistance by Village Legal
Care & Support Centres in Odisha during the last two years are as follows:
Year No. of persons visited No. of persons provided with assistance
2024 8,029 4,593
2025 7,638 5,644
As part of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, 04 National Lok Adalats
(NLAs) have been organised in 2025, from Taluk Courts to High Court of Orissa on the dates
scheduled by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). That apart, pursuant to the direction
of Executive Chairman, OSLSA, a District Level Lok Adalat was also organised by the Odisha
State Legal Services Authority on 27.7.2025 on the cases under Section 138 of Negotiable
Instrument Act. Further, 22 Permanent Lok Adalats are functional in Odisha to deal with cases
related to Public Utility Services.
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