A model legal aid clinic, which will work like a single window facility for helping the disadvantaged people to solve their legal problems, is ready at Jaratoli village of Badam panchayat in Namkum.
The project built over 3,500 square feet area involving cost of around `75 lakh is part of Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani’s Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY).
The village has been adopted by Nathwani under the SAGY. The projects include work on roads, health, sanitation, and education apart from beneficial initiatives for the religious and recreational facilities.
Jharkhand State legal Services Authority Executive Chairman Justice D N Patel visited the premises built in record six months on Tuesday before it is thrown open for public.
Justice Patel, on this occasion, said that the unique thing about this legal aid clinic will be that it will be attached with a common service centre, which will render services like preparing applications for jobs and a job card under the MGNREG scheme, identity card for different Government purposes, liaison with Government offices and public authorities.
The clinic run by the Ranchi district legal services authority (DlSA) under the ageis of JHAlSA will provide legal services to the villagers with the help of para-legal volunteers and lawyers, on the lines of a primary health centre providing basic health services.
They will help the people in drafting petitions, representations or notices and filling up the applications for various benefits available under the Government schemes.
Besides, the centre will help the common people who come to the clinic for solving their problems with the Government officials, authorities and other institutions, he added.
“Besides, we will also equip it with such facilities enabling the police officials and doctors record their evidence in a court during trial of a case, he added. “Also, the villagers could talk to their relatives if they are lodged in a jail through video conferencing from the centre,” Justice Patel added.
“There will be various other services which will be in addition to usual services being provided by a Pragya Kendra, already running in the State,” he added.
He pointed out that the Union law Ministry has decided to launch such a common service centre on a pilot basis in Bihar and UP, but we are already geared up to set an example in this regard.
He also asked SSP Kuldeep Dwivedi, who was present on the occasion, to ensure security at the centre when it becomes fully functional. Principal Judicial Commissioner Navneet Kumar, JHAlSA Member Secretary Arun Kumar Rai, High Court legal services committee secretary Santosh Kumar and DlSA secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh were also present among others.
Interestingly, JHAlSA was recently got registered in limca Book of Records for inaugurating legal literacy clubs in 500 schools of the State, covering Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBVs), Eklavya Schools and Model schools among others on December 10 last year.