Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, said that parliamentary democracy conveys the message of functioning through coordination and mutual understanding. This coordination prioritizes public interest and national interest above all. The foundation of this lies in good governance, which is built upon the rule of law. The rule of law establishes boundaries for every individual in society.
Providing financial assistance to the dependents of 577 deceased advocates from the Advocates’ Welfare Fund at Lok Bhavan, the Chief Minister said, “The festival of Raksha Bandhan is tomorrow. This event on the eve of the festival shows that there can be no greater joy than standing by someone in need and being ready to assist them.”
Yogi said that the Constitution of India was finalized on November 26, 1949, but it was after the arrival of PM Modi that the decision was made to celebrate this date as Constitution Day. During the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav year, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of citizens’ duties.
“When we talk about rights but not duties, that is where conflict arises. If we want to make India a developed nation by 2047 and bring prosperity to every Indian, improving their ease of living, we must prioritize our duties as citizens”, he further added.
CM Yogi said that when the government has a source of income, the paths for welfare naturally open up. Efforts have been made to ensure that these benefits reach those in need. He mentioned that in the state, one crore families are linked to pension schemes (for the elderly, divyang, and destitute) every month. These benefits are provided based solely on eligibility, without any discrimination. Many advocates have no one to care for them, and they too will benefit from this government support.
He informed “In the state, 5.11 crore people have been issued Golden Cards, providing health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per year. Over the past seven years, 56 lakh destitute individuals have been provided with housing.”
Chief Minister Yogi said that 54 such settlements in Uttar Pradesh were established 100 years ago, but until 2017, the people there did not have the right to vote. They were not able to benefit from ration cards or other facilities and lived isolated from society like nomads.
Yogi stated, “We advocated for them, and although laws were enacted for their benefit in the national Parliament in 2007-2008, it took another decade for these laws to be enacted in Uttar Pradesh. By 2017, these 54 settlements were designated as revenue villages and received all essential services. Today, visiting these areas, you can see the joy on their faces. Despite their poverty, they take pride in saying, ‘I am an Indian.'”
The Chief Minister said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, India demonstrated that the government stood with its 140 crore people. He remarked that a collective voice represents the strength of 140 crore people. When voices are divided and raised separately, they become barriers to development, leading to conflicts.
Yogi stated that the corpus fund has been increased from Rs 200 crore to Rs 500 crore, with the possibility of further increase if needed. The interest from this fund will ensure that advocates do not face any problems. The amount provided from the Advocates’ Welfare Fund for the dependents of deceased advocates has been raised from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and the age limit has been extended from 60 to 70 years.
CM Yogi informed, “From 2017-18 to the present, Rs 134 crore, 32 lakh, and 50 thousand have been provided to the families of 2,754 deceased advocates. Today, Rs 28 crore and 31 lakh are being distributed to the dependents of 577 advocates. Out of these, 12 dependents are receiving Rs 50,000 each, while 565 dependents are receiving Rs 5 lakh each. Additionally, Rs 3,758 young advocates have been given funds to purchase books and journals for up to three years.”
He stated that district courts could not be established in ten districts. Instructions have been given to set up Integrated Court Complexes as soon as possible in those areas. These complexes will also include chambers for advocates, a canteen, parking facilities, and seating arrangements for litigants.
CM Yogi Adityanath mentioned that funds have also been allocated for advocates’ chambers in other districts. Financial assistance has been provided for Jhansi, Sultanpur, Varanasi, Pratapgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharthnagar, Deoria, Balrampur, and Gorakhpur. Additionally, funds had already been provided earlier for Kasganj, Lucknow, Meerut, and Shrawasti.
In the Allahabad High Court, chambers and multi-level parking for 10,000 advocates are being constructed. The government has allocated Rs 608 crore for this purpose. The National Law University in Prayagraj, named after former President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, was inaugurated on February 16. The state government has provided Rs 387 crore for this project.
On this occasion, Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Justice Arun Bhansali, Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna, Senior Justice AR Masoodi, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, Advocate General Ajay Kumar Mishra, Bar Council President Shivkishore Gaur, Avadh High Court Bar President RD Shahi and Principal Secretary (Justice) Vinod Singh Rawat were present.
