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:

Tele-Law: free pre-litigation advice for all through a mobile-app and a toll-free number 14454. The scheme also uses video/teleconferencing facilities at Common Service Centres (CSCs) and Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) at the panchayat level.Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono legal Services): voluntary legal assistance for marginalized and disadvantaged sections covered under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Pro-bono panels are constituted in 23 High Courts, and pro-bono clubs operate in law schools/colleges across India to promote community-led pro-bono service among law students.Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme (LLLAP): partnerships and capacity-building for grassroots workers and legal awareness through workshops, webinars, and IEC (information, education, and communication) materials, including collaboration with Prasar Bharati.VIDHI (Vision for Integrated Delivery of Harmonized Legal Initiatives)-Sanjeevani: centralized monitoring through an integrated dashboard that provides a unified interface with real-time data streams from multiple sources to track programme performance, service delivery, and implementation progress. VIDHI Sanjeevani is envisaged to integrate with the Nyaya Setu AI Chatbot for technology-enabled service support and improved user interaction via AI-driven assistance.

AI-enabled Nyaya Setu chatbot and its design for grounded answers

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