The Union Ministry of Law and Justice has approved the continuation and restructuring of the Central Sector Scheme DISHA (Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice) as DISHA 2.0, with a total outlay of Rs 255 crore for the period April 2026 to March 2031. The revamped scheme introduces a new technology-driven component called VIDHI Sanjeevani, featuring an AI-powered multilingual chatbot and a centralised digital dashboard for real-time programme monitoring. DISHA 2.0 targets a cumulative outreach of 3 crore beneficiaries across India, building on the success of the original scheme that reached over 2.37 crore people.
What Is DISHA?
DISHA stands for Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice. It is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Department of Justice, which functions under the Ministry of Law and Justice. Central Sector Schemes are those that are fully funded by the Union Government through Gross Budgetary Support, unlike Centrally Sponsored Schemes where funding is shared with states.
The original DISHA Scheme was launched in April 2021 for a five-year period ending in March 2026, with a financial outlay of Rs 250 crore. Its objective was to integrate and consolidate various legal aid initiatives into a single, technology-driven framework that could deliver citizen-centric legal services across the country. The scheme aimed specifically at reaching marginalised and rural communities who face economic, geographic, and social barriers in accessing the formal legal system.
DISHA 2.0: What Has Changed
DISHA 2.0 builds on the original scheme’s three components and adds a fourth one: VIDHI Sanjeevani. VIDHI stands for Vision for Integrated Delivery of Harmonised Legal Initiatives. This new component introduces a centralised digital platform with an integrated dashboard that consolidates real-time data from all programme components, and an AI-powered multilingual chatbot called Nyaya Setu developed in collaboration with BHASHINI, India’s national language technology platform.
The scheme has been approved for five years from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031, co-terminus with the XVI Finance Commission cycle. The total outlay of Rs 255 crore is a modest increase from the previous Rs 250 crore, reflecting the addition of the digital infrastructure component. The approval followed a recommendation from the Standing Finance Committee chaired by Niraj Verma, Secretary of the Department of Justice.
| Feature | DISHA (2021-2026) | DISHA 2.0 (2026-2031) |
|---|---|---|
| Outlay | Rs 250 crore | Rs 255 crore |
| Components | 3 (Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu, LLLAP) | 4 (adds VIDHI Sanjeevani) |
| Target Beneficiaries | 2.37 crore achieved | 3 crore |
| Digital Platform | Basic IT infrastructure | AI-powered Nyaya Setu Chatbot, centralised dashboard |
| Period | 2021-2026 | 2026-2031 (aligns with XVI FC cycle) |
The scheme will be implemented pan-India across all States and Union Territories. The integration of AI and real-time monitoring is expected to improve both the reach and the quality of legal service delivery.
The Four Components of DISHA 2.0
Tele-Law
Tele-Law is the flagship component of the DISHA scheme. It provides free pre-litigation legal advice to citizens through a network of 2.5 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) located at the Gram Panchayat level across all 784 districts in 36 States and Union Territories, including 112 Aspirational Districts and 500 Aspirational Blocks. Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) operating these CSCs connect citizens with panel lawyers through video or teleconferencing facilities. Citizens can also access the service through the Tele-Law mobile app and a toll-free helpline. The programme has already provided over 1.13 crore pre-litigation advices under the previous DISHA scheme.
Nyaya Bandhu
The Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) Programme promotes a culture of voluntary free legal assistance among the legal profession. It connects registered Pro Bono Advocates with eligible beneficiaries who are entitled to free legal aid under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Beneficiaries include members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women, children, persons with disabilities, victims of human trafficking, industrial workmen, and those in custody, among others.
The programme operates through the Nyaya Bandhu mobile application, available on Android, iOS, and the UMANG platform. As of May 2026, the programme had registered 10,681 Pro Bono Advocates. It has also established 109 Pro Bono Clubs across law colleges in 31 States and Union Territories to instil the spirit of pro bono legal work among law students.
Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme
The Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme (LLLAP) aims to spread legal awareness among citizens, particularly those in remote and underserved areas. It builds partnerships with ministries, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), law universities, and media organisations to conduct legal awareness campaigns, training programmes, and capacity building for grassroots legal workers. Under the previous scheme, the programme reached over 1.24 crore beneficiaries.
VIDHI Sanjeevani
VIDHI Sanjeevani is the newly introduced fourth component. It is a centralised digital platform designed for end-to-end programme monitoring and data-driven decision-making. The platform features two key elements:
- An integrated dashboard that consolidates real-time data streams from all four components, allowing administrators to track progress, identify gaps, and allocate resources efficiently.
- The Nyaya Setu Chatbot, an AI-powered multilingual legal query resolution tool built in collaboration with BHASHINI, India’s national language translation platform under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Citizens can ask legal questions in their local language through voice or text and receive relevant information instantly.
This digital layer transforms DISHA from a traditional outreach programme into a technology-enabled justice delivery system.
Constitutional and International Mandate
DISHA 2.0 is rooted in the constitutional vision of justice. The Preamble to the Constitution of India promises to secure justice social, economic, and political to all its citizens. Three specific constitutional provisions form the legal foundation for this scheme:
- Article 14 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the laws to all persons.
- Article 21 protects the right to life and personal liberty, which the Supreme Court has interpreted to include the right to free legal aid as a fundamental right.
- Article 39A, inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976, directs the State to ensure equal justice and provide free legal aid to citizens who cannot afford it due to economic or other disabilities. This article is part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) contained in Part IV of the Constitution.
The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 was enacted to implement Article 39A. It established a three-tier legal aid structure: the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) at the national level, headed by the Chief Justice of India; State Legal Services Authorities at the state level, headed by the Chief Justice of the respective High Courts; and District Legal Services Authorities at the district level. Section 12 of this Act specifies the categories of persons eligible for free legal services.
At the international level, DISHA 2.0 supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG-16), which calls for promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
The scheme also aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision expressed at the National Conference on Strengthening the Legal Aid Delivery Mechanisms on 8 November 2025, where he emphasised that ease of doing business and ease of living both require ease of justice.
Performance of the Previous DISHA Scheme
The original DISHA Scheme (2021-2026) with an outlay of Rs 250 crore achieved a cumulative outreach of over 2.37 crore beneficiaries as of 31 May 2026. The component-wise performance is summarised below:
| Component | Key Achievement |
|---|---|
| Tele-Law | Over 1.13 crore pre-litigation legal advices provided |
| Nyaya Bandhu | 10,681 Pro Bono Advocates registered; 109 Pro Bono Clubs established across 31 States/UTs |
| Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme | Outreach to over 1.24 crore beneficiaries |
| Information Education and Communication | Reached 8.99 lakh viewers through national and regional media channels |
The scheme’s success demonstrated the strong demand for legal aid services across the country. DISHA 2.0 is designed to accelerate this momentum through a higher target of 3 crore beneficiaries and technology-driven efficiency.
Key Takeaways
- DISHA 2.0 is a restructured Central Sector Scheme approved for 2026-2031 with a total outlay of Rs 255 crore, fully funded by the Government of India through Gross Budgetary Support.
- The scheme targets 3 crore beneficiaries and supports the constitutional mandate under Articles 14, 21, and 39A of the Constitution, as well as UN SDG-16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
- A new component, VIDHI Sanjeevani, has been introduced featuring a centralised digital dashboard and an AI-powered multilingual chatbot (Nyaya Setu) built on the BHASHINI platform.
- Tele-Law provides free pre-litigation legal advice through 2.5 lakh Common Service Centres across 784 districts in 36 States and Union Territories.
- The Nyaya Bandhu programme connects eligible beneficiaries with Pro Bono Advocates under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and has 109 Pro Bono Clubs across law colleges in 31 States and Union Territories.
- NALSA, established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, heads the three-tier legal aid structure in India.
- The previous DISHA Scheme achieved over 2.37 crore beneficiaries, including 1.13 crore pre-litigation advices and outreach to 1.24 crore people under legal literacy programmes.
