Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar, Executive Chairman, J&K State Legal Service Authority (SLSA) today impressed upon District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Para Legal Volunteers, Retainer Lawyers and departments delivering public services to ensure that the intended benefits of various social welfare schemes percolate to the targeted beneficiaries.Stressing to shift from disseminating legal awareness to actual empowerment of the marginalized sections of society, he said endeavour of SLSA is to safeguard the rights of sub-altern groups of society and advised Panel/Retainer lawyers and Para Legal Volunteers to work in coordinated manner to streamline the justice delivery system at grassroots level.Justice Ramalingam was speaking at a Legal Services Camp organized here at Muradpur in Rajouri. The camp, attended by over 1500 participants, was based on the theme and module conceived and devised by Executive Chairman, National Legal Service Authority (NALSA), Justice Ranjan Gogoi.On the occasion, several beneficiaries of different social welfare schemes identified by PLVs and connected with concerned departments were given benefits on spot by Justice Ramalingam. He also provided relief material sanctioned by district administration including ex-gratia relief amounting to Rs 992000 to 29 victims of cross-LoC shelling.
Besides, school bags and stationery items to 200 girl students and helmets to 40 mine workers were also provided to the targeted beneficiaries of different schemes executed by respective departments. 100 cases of old age widows and destitute were also settled on spot.Under the guidance of Justice Ramalingam, Chairman, DLSA, Shahzad Azeem had formed different groups comprising of Para Legal Volunteers, Retainer Lawyers and also associated District Administration headed by Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, District Development Commissioner Rajouri.Shahzad Azeem, Chairman, DLSA Rajouri, R N Watal, Member Secretary, J&K SLSA, ADDC, A S Chib, SSP, Yugal K Manhas, ASP, Yusuf Choudhary, ACR, A Q Mir, DSWO, Dr. Abdul Khabir, Member Secretary DLSA, Tabraiz Qazi, sectoral officers, lawyers, and beneficiaries of different schemes were present on the occasion.Earlier, Justice Ramalingam inspected 15 stalls displaying information regarding welfare schemes of different departments and instructed PLVs to connect beneficiaries with concerned departments to facilitate intended benefits. Sectoral heads of departments also briefed the participants about welfare schemes run by them.