Shillong, May 9: The Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India & Patron-in-Chief, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), inaugurated the Mega Camp-cum-Awareness Programme on the NALSA Schemes & Government Welfare Schemes under the theme “Bridging the Gap” today at Marngar, Ri Bhoi district in Meghalaya. The camp is being conducted by the High Court of Meghalaya and Meghalaya State Legal Services in partnership with the State government to ensure last-mile delivery of NALSA social welfare benefits and government schemes.
In his inaugural address as the Chief Guest of the occasion, Justice Shri Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India & Patron-in-Chief, NALSA, said healthcare access, educational support, livelihood opportunities, and rehabilitation assistance are being brought into convergence mode through these awareness camps. “Therefore, it is very essential that under one roof all these welfare schemes implemented by government department and organizations, legal organizations are made available to all” while beckoning all stakeholders to join hands and work together in tandem.” He acknowledged the role of para-legal volunteers being the backbone of legal service at the grassroot urging the authority to strengthen their recruitment.
Speaking as the Guest of Honour, Justice Shri Ujjal Bhuyan, Judge, Supreme Court of India, acknowledged the traditional practices and with-it unique sense and system of justice. He emphasized the importance of aligning the traditional justice system with the modern justice delivery system under the Constitution of India. Pointing towards pineapple cultivation in Ri Bhoi, he quipped in a lighter vein that the people of the state are as sweet as the pineapples grown there.
In his address, Lahkmen Rymbui, Law Minister of Meghalaya, said, “MSLSA have devised a comprehensive legal service program in the form of State Action Plan. Effort has been made when framing the program activities to ensure that they are suitable to the local circumstance, to effectively address the plethora of problem faced by the people of the state; while ensuring consonance with the national laws and plan of action. Exhorting the legal service institutions that much was expected that these activities will be carried out in a letter and spirit, and that the benefits will reach the targeted and marginalized section of society.” He added that access to justice requires a collective effort of the government, judiciary, and society as a whole.
Smt Justice Revati Mohite Dere, Chief Justice, High Court of Meghalaya & Patron-in-Chief, MSLSA, said the mega camp is a promise to the people that legal help is being made available at the doorstep. Through such camps and targeted interventions gaps in implementation of schemes would be subsequently bridged between citizens and the government and welfare meant for the people. Stating that in the last five years, 14 such mega camps have been held covering 9 districts and benefitting thousands of people, she maintained, “In our democracy, justice has no distance.”
The dignitaries distributed assistive devices/implements to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), cheques/work orders to beneficiaries of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Village Organizations (VOs) under government schemes, and certificates to the best-performing Legal Aid Panel Lawyers, Para-Legal Volunteers (PLVs), and Lawyers from Legal Aid Defense Counsel (LADCs) during the year 2025.
In the second half of the camp Hon’ble Mr. Justice H.S Thangkhiew Judge High Court of Meghalaya and Executive Chairman, State legal Services Authority and Hon’ble Mr Justice W Diengdoh, Judge High Court of Meghalaya flagged off the Multi Utility vehicles under under the NALSA Grant in Aid Scheme.
