Fluctuating Allocations for Justice-Related Schemes

The recently released India Justice Report 2025-26 has shown a declining trend of budget allocation to certain justice-related schemes and projects since 2019.

• Underutilization: Data also show that only a fraction of the envisaged allocations was actually spent on these schemes.

Key Highlights About the Report

• The Modernisation Fund for the State Police Forces: The Fund was formed to assist special projects and schemes that would upgrade the infrastructure of State police as well as Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems. 
  • Budget Estimates (BE): The estimated budget reduced from ₹900 crore in FY19 to ₹587.97 crore FY26.
  • Revised Estimates (RE): In FY25, ₹520.51 crore was allocated which was revised in the following year to ₹160 crore.
  • Actual Expenditure: Only ₹34.7 crore was actually spent despite an allocation of more than ₹600 crore in FY23 constituting only about 6% of the allocation.
    • Only 20-25% of the budgeted amounts were spent in FY21, FY23, and FY24.
• Modernisation of Forensic Capacities: The scheme is aimed at improving forensic testing infrastructure across the country and addressing the shortage of forensic scientists.
  • Allocation: The scheme witnessed a stark increase and then a decrease in allocations over the past few years.
• Modernisation of Prisons Fund:It aims to improve the living conditions of prisoners, renovate existing prisons, and build new cells. 
  • Allocations: It has come down to ₹300 crore each in FY 23 and FY24 and FY24 saw  only 44% of the budgeted fund being utilised.
• National Legal Services Authority (NALSA): It is a scheme for free legal aid to the disadvantaged sections of the society.
  • Allocation: NALSA has reported 100% utilisation of the budgeted amounts for all the years between 2018-19 to 2023-24.
• Development of Infrastructure Facilities for the Judiciary: This is a centrally sponsored scheme that was developed to enhance the judicial resources of State governments.
  • Allocation: The fund has been utilised almost to its full potential from FY 19-FY25 but has seen a decrease in allocation from ₹1,123.40 crore (FY25) to ₹998 crore (FY26).

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About The India Justice Report

• Published By: The Report is published annually by the India Justice Report Organization
• Objective: It is a national periodic reporting that brings together, hitherto siloed information, to measure the capacity of four pillars of the justice system in each state, against its own declared standards or benchmarks.
  • Pillars:  The  police, The prison system, The judiciary and Legal aid 
• Significance: 
  • The report leverage evidence-backed strategy to encourage states to improve and focus on achieving the low-hanging fruits.
  • It scores and ranks states against their own declared benchmarks to create a matrix for competitiveness.

Union Budget 2025-26: Allocation for Justice Sector Total budget for justice sector– 3088.17 Cr. Judicial Infrastructure- (CCS+Gram Nyayalaya)- 1300.20 Cr (42%) Police Modernisation (MPF Scheme+CCTNS)- 587.97 Cr. (19%) Forensics- 500 Cr. (16%) Legal Aid- (NALSA+LADCS)- 400 Cr. (13%) Prison Modernisation- 300 Cr (10%)

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