Faced with a staggering 2.5 crore cases pending in different courts of India, the government today approved a proposal to fast-track the disposal of cases and reduce the period of pendency from the present 15 years to three.

The Union Cabinet gave its approval to the Law Ministry's proposal to operationalise the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms under which the Centre will bear an estimated expenditure of Rs 5,510 crore over five years till 2016.

The mission's objective is to increase access to justice by reducing delays and arrears. It also aims to enhance accountability through structural changes and by setting performance standards.

Its broad areas are policy and legislative changes, re-engineering of procedures, human resource development and improving physical infrastructure of subordinate courts.

As part of the proposal, the Ministry plans to share 75 per cent of the grants to be spent in improving infrastructure in states. This will help to bring down the spiralling number of cases, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here.

For the Northeast region, the Centre will bear 90 per cent of the expenses. So far, the Centre shared 50 per cent of the grants.

Under the proposal, a mission directorate will be set up to oversee the implementation of the national mission.

This was envisaged in the 'vision statement' adopted by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Ministers in October 2009.

The statement contained a road map for improving justice delivery and legal reforms and steps to reduce pendency in courts from 15 to three years by 2012. The deadline has been extended to 2016.

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