Overview
The DISHA 2.0 has been re‑approved by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Law and Justice. The scheme runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031 and is funded entirely by Rs. 255 crore under the XVI Finance Commission cycle.
Key Developments
- Introduction of a new component, VIDHI‑Sanjeevani, featuring a multilingual Nyaya Setu Chatbot.
- Expansion of Tele‑Law to 2,50,000 CSCs covering 784 districts, including 112 aspirational districts and 500 aspirational blocks.
- Strengthening of Nyaya Bandhu by onboarding law colleges and creating Pro‑bono Clubs.
- Scaling up of the Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme (LLLAP) with both online and offline outreach.
- Target of reaching 3.00 crore beneficiaries across all four components by the end of the scheme period.
Important Facts
The scheme is a 100 % Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) programme. It builds on the earlier DISHA (2021‑26) which had an outlay of Rs 250 crore and reached over 2.37 crore beneficiaries, including 1.13 crore pre‑litigation advices, 10,681 pro‑bono advocates and 1.24 crore beneficiaries through LLLAP. The new component VIDHI‑Sanjeevani will enable end‑to‑end monitoring.
Legal aid is provided under Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. The scheme aligns with Article 39A of the Constitution and supports United Nations SDG‑16.
Exam Relevance
Understanding DISHA 2.0 helps aspirants link constitutional guarantees (Preamble, Articles 14, 21, 39A) with contemporary policy measures. It illustrates how the government translates international commitments (SDG‑16) into domestic programmes. The scheme also showcases inter‑ministerial coordination, use of technology in governance, and the role of Central Sector Schemes in the fiscal framework (GBS).
Way Forward
Implementation will rely on the network of Village Level Entrepreneurs, law colleges and civil society partners. The AI‑driven Nyaya Setu Chatbot will be continuously trained to handle diverse queries. Monitoring through VIDHI‑Sanjeevani will ensure transparency and enable corrective actions. Successful delivery will strengthen the “ease of justice” pillar of the nation’s development agenda.