Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said a process for setting up of three special courts in Cuttack, Balangir and Baleswar districts to try atrocity cases against SC and ST people has already begun. Patnaik said this while addressing a State-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting on Friday. He also informed that funds have already been provided for construction of court buildings.
The Government has already designated 92 District and Sessions Courts and Additional District and Sessions Courts as special courts for the trial of SC and ST atrocity cases. Similarly, it has approved 390 legal aid cells to provide free legal services to people belonging to the two communities, said the Chief Minister. Informing that monetary relief for atrocity victims has been increased by 50 per cent, Patnaik said a total of 1,536 victims were given Rs4.5 crore as monetary relief in 2014-15. Encouraging inter-caste marriages, the Chief Minister said the Government provided a total of Rs3.86 crore as incentives to 802 couples in 2014-15.