New Delhi | February 6, 2026
India’s legal aid ecosystem is witnessing a significant expansion as the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) continues to implement multiple targeted schemes while the Tele-Law programme under the DISHA initiative has delivered pre-litigation legal advice to over 1.12 crore beneficiaries so far, strengthening access to justice across the country.
Four Major NALSA Schemes Driving Legal Inclusion
NALSA is currently implementing four major legal assistance programmes aimed at vulnerable and underserved populations:
SPRUHA Scheme, 2025 focuses on prisoners, undertrial inmates and their dependents, offering free legal aid, counselling, bail and parole assistance, welfare linkages and post-release rehabilitation to reduce repeat offences and support social reintegration.
Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana, 2025, launched in July 2025, provides free legal assistance to defence personnel, ex-servicemen and their families in property, family, inheritance and consumer matters. Between July–September 2025, 5,219 beneficiaries received assistance through 417 legal aid clinics, supported by 525 paralegal volunteers and 355 panel lawyers, with 692 outreach and legal aid programmes conducted.
JAGRITI Scheme, 2025 aims to strengthen grassroots legal awareness. Between July–December 2025, 690 district units and 2,129 taluk units were set up, along with over 35,000 permanent legal aid clinics, reaching 35.24 lakh people with legal awareness and welfare information, particularly focusing on women and child protection, child marriage and domestic violence.
Human–Wildlife Conflict Victim Scheme, 2025 provides legal aid, awareness, compensation and relief to affected populations in forest and tribal regions, aligned with Articles 21 and 48A of the Constitution.
Funding and Utilisation (FY 2025–26 till Dec 2025)
₹200 crore grant allocated to NALSA — ₹144.65 crore utilised
₹195.84 crore under LADCS (Legal Aid Defence Counsel System) — ₹194.17 crore utilised
Institutional Reach
Established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, NALSA operates through a nationwide decentralised network comprising:
37 State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs)
707 District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs)
2,440 Taluk Legal Services Committees (TLSCs)
Working in coordination with states and union territories, NALSA aims to eliminate financial and social barriers to justice and ensure timely, equitable and uniform legal services, particularly for marginalised and vulnerable communities.
