Legal service body formed to extend legal aid to poor

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 6: The Assam State Legal Services Authority (ASLSA) has come out with a programme – reach out and response – at a meeting at the conference hall of the Gauhati High Court here today.

Many a poverty alleviation scheme has been taken out in the State in order to benefit the poor. However, most of such schemes fail to reach the target beneficiaries, a large number of whom are not even aware of such schemes. Lack of awareness among the target beneficiaries is one of the reasons behind such schemes coming a cropper. The ASLSA has come out with a view to helping the deprived target beneficiaries get the benefits intended to them. Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh and all other judges were present at the launching of the programme today. In his keynote address, Justice Hrishikesh Roy, who leads the ASLSA from the front, said: "We feel the magnitude of the problem. Though our reach is limited, we have taken it with a missiory zeal. We hope to extend legal aid to at least a section of the poor and deprived target beneficiaries. In order to make that happen, we are going to engage para legal volunteers who will work in the field with thrust on three key areas – who to approach, how to reach them out and in what ways we can help them out. The media will certainly lend their support in this mission. The crux of the problem lies in the fact that most of the target beneficiaries aren't aware of their rights, and a large section of conscious people can't move the court seeking their rights due to poverty." Earlier, Justice Arup Kumar Goswami said: "The soul of the programme lies in Maestro Bhupen Hazarika's number – manuh manuhor bhabe. We'll work hard so that the poor people aren't deprived of legal aid. Awareness on rights is a core issue in society. We'll continue to help them from our end." Earlier at the function, the newly elected Chief Justice was felicitated.