**Executive Summary**
This document addresses Unstarred Question No. †2196 in Lok Sabha, to be answered on December 12th, 2025, regarding the strengthening of judicial infrastructure in Uttarakhand. It outlines the Central Government's support through a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for infrastructure development, focusing on financial assistance and digitization efforts. The document also mentions that funds for ICT Infrastructure under e-Courts-III have been sanctioned to the High Court of Uttarakhand.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Infrastructure Development Responsibility:**
* The primary responsibility for judicial infrastructure development lies with the State Governments/UTs.
* **Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS):**
* The Central Government supports States/UTs through a CSS for infrastructure development in District and Subordinate Courts since 1993-94.
* The fund-sharing pattern for Uttarakhand is 90:10 between the Centre and the State.
* The Scheme covers Court Halls, Residential Units for Judicial Officers, Lawyers' Halls, Toilet Complexes, and Digital Computer Rooms.
* Total Central assistance of Rs.301.94 crore (as on 31.10.2025) has been provided to Uttarakhand since the inception of the Scheme.
* **Current Infrastructure Status:**
* There are 283 Court Halls in Uttarakhand against the sanctioned strength of 298 Judicial Officers, with 12 more under construction.
* Record rooms are available in all District Headquarters.
* Bar rooms have been made available in some Court Complexes.
* **Digitization Efforts:**
* The e-Courts Project Phase-III includes provisions for digitization of court records at a cost of Rs.2038.40 crores.
* More than 2.17 crores pages have been digitized in Uttarakhand High Court and more than 89.20 lakh pages in district courts till 30.09.2025.
* **ICT Infrastructure Funding:**
* Funds for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Infrastructure under e-Courts-III have been sanctioned.
**Impact Analysis**
**Uttarakhand State Government/Judiciary**
* **Impact:** Receives financial assistance from the Central Government to improve judicial infrastructure and digitization efforts. Current infrastructure includes existing court halls, record rooms, and ongoing digitization projects.
* **Action Required:** To continue to work with the Central Government's CSS Scheme to augment resources for infrastructure for the Judiciary in the District and Subordinate Courts.
**Judicial Officers and Staff**
* **Impact:** Can look forward to better infrastructure, including Court Halls, Residential Units, Lawyers' Halls, and Digital Computer Rooms which can impact their working conditions. Also, the plan to digitize the court record can improve their working conditions.
* **Action Required:** To utilise these upgraded facilities and infrastructure to provide seamless service.
**Lawyers and Litigants**
* **Impact:** Can look forward to better infrastructure, including Court Halls, Lawyers' Halls, Toilet Complexes and Digital Computer Rooms for the convenience of lawyers and litigants.
* **Action Required:** Nil
Key Entities Referenced
Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary in the District and Subordinate Courts: A scheme implemented by the Central Government to provide financial assistance to State Governments/UTs for infrastructure development of the judiciary, especially in district and subordinate courts.
Uttarakhand: A state in India where infrastructure for court buildings, record rooms and bar rooms requires strengthening.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The ministry responsible for answering questions regarding judicial infrastructure and involved in administering the Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
e-Courts Project Phase-III: A project focused on the digitization of court records across the country, including in Uttarakhand.
High Court of Uttarakhand: The High Court in Uttarakhand receiving funds for ICT infrastructure under the e-Courts project.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2196
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 12TH DECEMBER, 2025
STRENGTHENING OF JUDICIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN UTTARAKHAND
†2196. Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) whether there is acute scarcity of infrastructure in terms of court buildings, record rooms
and bar rooms in many districts of Uttarakhand;
(b) whether the Union Government has sanctioned any special fund for infrastructure
improvement for Uttarakhand Judiciary, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any project is proposed for carrying out construction and digitisation of new
court buildings; and
(d) 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) to (d): The primary responsibility for development of infrastructure facilities for judiciary
rests with the State Governments/UTs. However, to augment the resources of the State
Government/ UTs, the Central Government has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored
Scheme (CSS) for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary in the District and
Subordinate Courts since 1993-94 by providing financial assistance in the prescribed fund-
sharing pattern between the Centre and States/UTs. For Uttarakhand, fund sharing pattern is
90:10 between Centre and State. The Scheme covers five components, viz., Court Halls,
Residential Units for Judicial Officers, Lawyers’ Halls, Toilet Complexes and Digital ComputerRooms for the convenience of lawyers and litigants. Total Central assistance of an amount of
Rs.301.94 crore (as on 31.10.2025) has been provided to the State since inception of the
Scheme, out of which Rs.256.86 crore has been provided since FY 2014-15 under the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for the Judiciary.
283 Court Halls are available in the State of Uttarakhand as against the sanctioned
strength of 298 Judicial Officers and another 12 Court Halls are under construction. As per
information provided by the High Court of Uttarakhand, Record rooms are available in all
District Headquarters. Bar rooms have also been made available in some of the Court
Complexes.
Under the e-Courts Project Phase-III, there is a provision for Digitization of the entire
court record, both legacy records and fresh filing of cases across the country at a cost of
Rs.2038.40 crores. As per the information received from e Committee, Supreme Court of India,
more than 2.17 crores pages have been digitized in Uttarakhand High Court and more than
89.20 lakh pages have been digitized in district courts of Uttarakhand till 30.09.2025.
Necessary funds for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Infrastructure
under e-Courts-III sanctioned, to the High Court of Uttarakhand is attached as Annexure-‘A’.
*********Annexure-A
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2196 TO
BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2025 REGARDING ‘STRENGTHENING OF JUDICIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IN UTTARAKHAND’
High Court of Uttarakhand
S. No. Funds Released for ICT Infrastructure under e-Courts Phase-III (Rs. In Lakh)
Component 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
1 ICT in newly setup courts 0 33.07 115.12
2 ICT in newly setup court complexes 0 60.87 12.17
3 ICT in High Courts 0 415 47.5
4 Video Conference 0 178.5 278.25
5 eSeva Kendra 63.68 208.79 13.04
6 Solar 405 0 0
7 Additional Hardware 835.46 0.00 0.00
8 NSTEP 27 3 0
9 Digitization 0 462.5 1498.28
10 Technical Manpower 34.8 69.60 83.56
11 Capacity Building 1.75 7.11 20.38
12 Paperless Court 0 113.68 154.6
13 Live Streaming 0 38.96 0.00
14 e-Office 0 30.97 0
15 Digital Component SJA 0 0 485.00
16 Online Court 0 0 154.11
Total 1367.69 1995.79 2957.01