Apr 15, 2011, 06.34am IST
LUCKNOW: Chief minister Mayawati on Thursday announced sops worth Rs 610 crore for lawyers and free legal aid to dalits and poor on the occasion of the 120th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Addressing people after paying tributes to dalit icon Ambedkar, Mayawati said that her government has sanctioned Rs 610 crore for benefit of the lawyers in the state, which includes Rs 500 crore for a new building of Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, Rs 60 crore for the board of trustees for insurance of lawyers, pension to their widows and computers in bar councils and an additional fund of Rs 50 crore for the library facility for judges and to meet their other requirements. She said that funds will be utilised in consultation with the chief justice of the Allahabad High Court.
Maya also announced that free legal facilities would be provided to dalits, families coming under below poverty line (BPL card holders) and beneficiaries of Mukhyamantri Mahamaya Gareeb Arthik Madad Yojna to contest cases, barring those in which the government is a party. She said that the Opposition parties have only offered lip service to Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and dalits during their rule, whereas BSP has not only constructed memorials, educational institutions and other public utility services in the name of Babasaheb. It has also implemented number of dalit and poor welfare schemes besides naming an entire district after the dalit icon. She said that the criticism of memorials by Opposition parties, particularly by the Congress shows their casteist and anti-dalit mentality. She said that BSP is the only party, which is following the path shown by Babasaheb.
Giving credit to her right hand man, Satish Chandra Mishra and for pushing the case of lawyers, chief minister said that previous governments had announced a host of schemes for lawyers but did not made any budgetary allocation for implementation of the schemes.
She also said that Opposition parties have been misleading lawyers and general public over the issue. Besides being brahmin face of the BSP, Mishra is also party's national general secretary and member of Rajya Sabha. A leading lawyer, Mishra handles all legal cases of Maya and the party. She also gave credit to BSP MLC and advocate Gopal Narain Mishra for raising the issues of lawyers.
Mayawati said the construction of a new building of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has been pending for a long. "My government decided to provide Rs 500 crore for it. While state government has sanctioned its share amounting to 70% of the fund, the Centre has not released its share so far," she said and added "additional funds will also be provided if required."
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