Justice Sandeepkumar More: No eligible needy person should miss out on government schemes

Latur, October 24: No eligible and needy person in society should be left out of the government's welfare schemes, and the judiciary and administration must work with great sensitivity to ensure this, said Justice Sandeepkumar More of the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court. He is also the guardian judge of Latur district. He was speaking at the inauguration of a Maha Vidhik Seva Shibir (mega legal services camp) and a mega fair of government schemes at Diwanji Mangal Karyalay in Latur.

Justice More said it was necessary to take legal information and government schemes to such people, and that the legal services committee was holding mega legal services camps for this purpose. According to him, the government runs many schemes for the welfare of ordinary people. By holding the fair, the legal services committee is spreading awareness of these schemes, which will help information reach the needy. Through the committee, efforts are being made to give citizens free legal advice and help, and to take the benefits of government schemes directly to people.

The camp and fair were organised jointly by the Latur District Legal Services Authority and the district administration on the directions of the National Legal Services Authority and the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority. The event was inaugurated in an unusual way, by watering a sapling (vriksha jalarpan), conveying a message of water conservation, saving water and protecting the environment to deal with the drought-like conditions in Latur district.

Those present included Justice Sushil Ghodeswar of the Aurangabad Bench, Principal District and Sessions Judge Sanjay Bharuka, District Collector Dr Bharat Bastewad, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Rahul Kumar Meena, Municipal Commissioner Rahul Kulkarni, Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe, District Legal Services Authority Secretary Venkatesh Girwalkar and District Bar Association president Adv Shivkumar Jadhav. Judicial officers, administrative officers, lawyers, litigants, beneficiaries of various schemes and a large number of citizens also attended.

Justice Sushil Ghodeswar said the judiciary and administration carry a special responsibility during natural disasters. At such times everyone should work sensitively to help people. Besides helping citizens secure their legal rights, it is necessary to try to take welfare schemes directly to the needy through such camps, he said. He said the schemes should be publicised so that as many people as possible benefit from them.

Sanjay Bharuka, Principal District and Sessions Judge and chairperson of the District Legal Services Authority, said in his introductory remarks that the legal services authority was set up to secure justice for the most deprived and weaker sections. Various programmes are being held to help such people get justice. At this camp, the judiciary, the administration and several government departments have come together under one roof to resolve people's problems and give them the benefit of schemes. According to him, the aim of the camp is that everyone should have knowledge of justice and the opportunity to obtain it.

District Collector Dr Bharat Bastewad said the initiative taken by the District Legal Services Authority to take government schemes effectively to people would prove useful to the district administration. He said the authority had supported the administration's efforts to pay land acquisition compensation that had been pending for many years, which had speeded up payment to farmers. He also said there was currently a water shortage, so everyone should use water sparingly.

Judicial and administrative officers who contributed well to organising the camp were felicitated. The programme was conducted by judges Madhumita Nikam and Neha Nagargoje, and Secretary Venkatesh Girwalkar proposed the vote of thanks.

At the fair, bank loan sanction letters and cheques were handed over for hotel, garment and dairy businesses. Group bank loans of more than Rs 2.5 crore were disbursed. The agriculture and animal husbandry departments gave out goat units at 75 per cent subsidy, prior consent letters for well repairs, tractors and combine harvesters. Ayushman cards, smartphones for persons with disabilities, hearing aids, tricycles, house keys, baby care kits and driving licences were also distributed. Stolen property recovered by the police was returned to its rightful owners.

The Latur Zilla Parishad health department also held a health check-up camp on the occasion. About 87 people had their blood pressure checked, 85 were tested for diabetes, 37 had general blood tests, 25 had X-rays and 3 had cancer tests. Ayushman Bharat cards were made for 90 eligible people, and 32 people were registered as Nikshay Mitra. The checks found 9 suspected blood pressure cases and 4 suspected diabetes cases. The health department guided all of them on further tests and proper treatment.