Legal body to offer free aid, help in creating awareness

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 26

The Punjab Legal Services Authority would make people aware of the welfare schemes being run by the state and Central Government besides providing them free legal aid. For this, the first camp was organised at Tarn Taran, while the second was held at the Saroya block of the SBS Nagar district.

Stating this, acting chairman of the Punjab Legal Services Authority said to widen the scope of the free legal aid to more people, the increase in existing 1.5 lakh income slab to Rs 3 lakh, is under process.

Besides, online applications have been accepted at the state office of PLSA apart from 24X7 helpline number 1968.Each Saanjh Kendra has legal aid clinic in the state while all Ambedkar Bhawans of districts soon have legal aid clinics for SC/ST, he added.

To inculcate the students with legal literacy, from the ensuing academic session, legal literacy would be the part of curriculum in Punjab schools, he further said.He said the third ‘Chetna’ camp would be organised at Amritsar on March 11.

Expressing concern over the major problem of Doaba, of abandoned brides, Punjab State Legal Service Authority to take initiative to get them justice with the help of the concerned embassies, he added. A total of 2,500 paralegal volunteers of the state would be imparted special training of legal services and prominent public oriented decisions. Apart from that, all the legal aid clinics in jails would be modernised by March 2018, besides upgrade of five legal literacy clubs of each district of Punjab by providing computers, furniture, almirhas and literature. He also inaugurated the upgraded Legal Literacy Club at the Saroya School.

Administrative judge of SBS Nagar Session Division, Justice Raj Shekhar Attrey said social justice also had importance along with ‘rule of law’. He said increase in the sphere of free legal aid, set up in 1987, was the perfect example of social justice, so that weaker sections of the society might get the benefit of welfare schemes too. A total of 43 information stalls were set up by the 38 departments of the district to make aware the people of their welfare schemes. As many as 3,000 persons got themselves registered and 2,000 were given various benefits on the spot.

Others, who addressed the gathering, included member secretary, PLSA HK Jiwan and DC Amit Kumar.

Others who attended the mass awareness function, included, District and Sessions Judge Amarinder Singh Grewal, additional member secretary PLSA, AS Shergill, CJM Parinder Singh Secretary DLSA SBS Nagar, SSP Satinder Singh and other judicial officers.

Points discussed at the camp

• To widen the scope of the free legal aid to more people, the increase in existing 1.5 lakh income slab to Rs 3 lakh, is under process.
• Online applications have been accepted at the state office of the PLSA apart from 24X7 helpline number 1968.
• To make the students aware of legal literacy, from the ensuing academic session, legal literacy would be a part of curriculum in Punjab schools