Centre launches DISHA 2.0 with ₹255 crore to expand technology-driven access to justice
Law and Justice Ministry launched DISHA 2.0 (₹255 crore, 2026–31) to expand technology-driven access to justice and connect citizens to legal aid via tele-law, pro bono support, legal literacy, and an integrated monitoring dashboard.
- Tele-Law gives free pre-litigation legal advice by connecting people to panel lawyers using app and toll-free number 14454.
- Nyaya Bandhu uses voluntary pro-bono advocacy for marginalized groups covered under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
- LLLAP spreads legal awareness through workshops, webinars, IEC materials, and partnerships across Ministries/Departments.
- VIDHI-Sanjeevani uses a centralized integrated dashboard with real-time data streams to monitor programme performance and implementation progress.
What happened: DISHA 2.0 launched to expand technology-driven access to justice
The Ministry of Law and Justice launched “Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA) 2.0” as a Central Sector Scheme with an approved financial outlay of ₹255 crore for 2026–31 for pan-India implementation, including Andhra Pradesh. DISHA 2.0’s stated goal is to leverage technology to build and expand citizen-friendly legal services platforms.
DISHA 2.0 has four components:
DISHA 2.0 can be examined as an e-governance approach to legal aid: it moves legal aid delivery from offline-only pathways to app/voice, teleconferencing at service points, and a centralized monitoring dashboard. For UPSC answers, link citizen access (front-end delivery), service quality (monitoring and dashboard), and safety (AI grounded in legal texts) to explain how access to justice becomes operational rather than only policy intent.
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