Key Details
DISHA 2.0 seeks to expand access to justice by integrating legal aid, legal awareness and pro bono services with digital and AI-enabled delivery systems.
Focus Area | Scale and Coverage |
|---|---|
Programme Outlay | ₹255 crore (2026–27 to 2030–31) |
Target Reach | 3 crore beneficiaries |
Legal Advice | Tele-Law services through 2.5 lakh Common Service Centres across 784 districts |
Pro Bono Support | Nyaya Bandhu network of advocates and law students |
Legal Awareness | Nationwide legal literacy and outreach programmes |
Digital Justice | VIDHI-Sanjeevani platform with dashboards, analytics and monitoring tools |
AI Integration | Multilingual Nyaya Setu chatbot for legal information and guidance |
Previous Performance | DISHA (2021–26) reached over 2.37 crore beneficiaries |
Summary
Access to Justice Moves Beyond Courtrooms
The Union Government has approved DISHA 2.0 (Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice) as a five-year Central Sector Scheme to strengthen access to justice across India.
The programme recognises that barriers to justice often arise long before a case reaches a courtroom. Limited legal awareness, lack of affordable advice, geographic constraints and procedural complexity can prevent citizens from accessing legal remedies. DISHA 2.0 seeks to address these challenges through a combination of legal aid, legal literacy, pro bono services and digital justice delivery.
Four Pillars of the New Framework
The scheme will operate through four complementary components:
Tele-Law, which provides free pre-litigation legal advice through Common Service Centres.
Nyaya Bandhu, which connects eligible citizens with pro bono advocates and legal volunteers.
Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programmes, which promote awareness of legal rights and available remedies.
VIDHI-Sanjeevani, a new digital platform that will support monitoring, analytics, grievance tracking and AI-enabled legal assistance through the multilingual Nyaya Setu chatbot.
Together, these components aim to make legal support more accessible, particularly for citizens facing economic, social or geographic barriers.
Building on Earlier Progress
DISHA 2.0 builds on the outcomes of the earlier DISHA scheme implemented between 2021 and 2026.
By May 2026, the programme had reached more than 2.37 crore beneficiaries, including over 1.13 crore Tele-Law consultations, a network of 10,681 registered pro bono advocates, 109 pro bono clubs, and more than 1.24 crore beneficiaries reached through legal awareness activities.
The new phase seeks to scale these efforts while introducing stronger digital infrastructure and real-time monitoring capabilities.
Technology as an Enabler of Justice
A notable feature of DISHA 2.0 is its emphasis on AI-enabled and multilingual justice delivery.
The Nyaya Setu chatbot, integrated into the VIDHI-Sanjeevani platform, is intended to help citizens access legal information in multiple languages, while real-time dashboards and analytics will support programme monitoring and policy planning.
The initiative reflects a broader shift towards using digital public infrastructure to improve the accessibility, efficiency and transparency of public services.
What is Tele-Law?
Tele-Law is a legal aid programme that enables citizens to access free pre-litigation legal advice through Common Service Centres and digital platforms. It connects individuals with legal professionals without requiring them to physically visit legal aid offices or courts.
Policy Relevance
Expands access to justice by combining legal aid, legal awareness and pro bono services within a single national framework.
Demonstrates how AI and digital platforms can support citizen-facing justice services while improving monitoring and accountability.
Strengthens legal inclusion for citizens who face economic, geographic or informational barriers in accessing formal justice systems.
Highlights the growing role of Common Service Centres and digital public infrastructure in delivering legal services.
Supports data-driven governance through real-time dashboards, analytics and performance monitoring.
Advances India’s constitutional commitment to equal access to justice under Articles 14, 21 and 39A.
Relevant Question for Stakeholders: How can DISHA 2.0 ensure that AI-enabled legal services complement—not replace—human legal assistance, particularly for citizens with limited digital access or legal literacy?
Follow the full release here: Central Sector Scheme ‘Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice’ (DISHA) 2.0