Bhubaneswar: Centre has provided Rs 136.33 crore to Odisha under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the development of infrastructure facilities for the judiciary in district and subordinate courts over the past five years, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal informed the Rajya Sabha.
Replying to a query by BJD member Subhasish Khuntia in a written response, the minister said the Union government has taken several steps to improve access to justice delivery across the country, including in Odisha.
As of December 31, 2025, Odisha has 913 court halls, while 156 court halls are under construction. Under the eCourts Project, a total of 184 eSewa Kendras are functioning in the state, facilitating a range of services for litigants, lawyers and the general public, including assistance with e-filing processes and e-payment of court fees and fines.
A total of 220 court complexes under district and subordinate courts across the state have been provided with information and communication technology (ICT) hardware. Video conferencing facilities have been enabled in all district courts. In addition, 44 fast-track special courts have been established in Odisha to dispose of pending cases related to rape of children and women, the minister said.
The Centre has also provided free and competent legal services under the Legal Services Authorities Act to poor and marginalised sections of society, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen due to economic or other disabilities. Lok Adalats are organised to ensure the legal system promotes justice based on equal opportunities.
To reach citizens across the country, including in Odisha, legal services institutions have been established from the taluk level up to the Supreme Court.
As part of the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism, four National Lok Adalats were organised in 2025, from taluk courts to the Orissa High Court. In addition, following directions of the executive chairman, the Odisha State Legal Services Authority (OSLSA) organised a district-level Lok Adalat on July 27, 2025, for cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Further, 22 permanent Lok Adalats are functional in Odisha to deal with cases related to public utility services.
To provide effective and quality legal services to disadvantaged and underprivileged sections in court-based criminal matters, steps have been taken under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to implement the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System (LADCS) in 30 district legal services authorities across the state, the minister added.
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