Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced that the Madhusudan Law College, the oldest law college in Odisha, would be accorded university status.
Addressing the State Executive Meeting of BJD’s Legal Front here, he also announced that the Advocates’ Welfare Fund will be enhanced from the present Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore from the next year. In addition, the government has also proposed to establish an “Advocates Academy” for training and skill development of lawyers of the state, he pointed out.
He further said the state government has taken a number of steps to ease access to justice to the people including establishment of courts in all 314 blocks, special courts for women and ST, SC communities, appointment of judicial officers, organisation of Lok Adalats, legal aid clinics, engagement of lawyers to conduct legal aid cases, engagement of para-legal volunteers and so on. “The Madhubabu Aain Sahayata at the panchayat level is one of the most progressive and dynamic initiatives of my government to provide instant and easy access to justice to the weaker sections of society at their door steps,” he pointed out.
Stating that the state government has constituted the Odisha State Law Commission to aid and advise in matters of legal reforms and qualitative legislation relevant to the current times, the chief minister thanked the lawyers for playing a significant role in strengthening the front. “The BJD is committed and working tirelessly for the upliftment of the poor and the disadvantaged sections of the society by assuring their rights and privileges,” he observed.
The chief minister said the BJD legal front was launched on November 22, 2015. Since then, the front has been successfully providing legal assistance to the poor and the unprivileged.
He called on the lawyers to carry forward legal aid to the grass root level to provide access to justice to the needy and deserved and also carry forward the message of growth and development of the state government to the people as they look upon you to make them aware of their rights and entitlements.
He also urged lawyers’ community to work with the governmnet wholeheartedly in its battle for Mahanadi and expect the lawyers to come forward to save the pride of Odisha being an integrated part of “Save Mahanadi Movement”.
“My government is always committed to find out amicable solutions to the issues faced by the legal community. Legal illiteracy is a major drawback in securing justice and protecting rights and liberty of common people. I hope the BJD Legal Front will strive towards creating an atmosphere of adequate legal literacy among the people,” the chief minister said.
Law minister Pratap Jena, Cuttack (Barabati) MLA Debashish Samantaray, state convener Milan Kanungo, legal advisors, Odisha State Bar Council member Asim Amitabh Das and members of the Odisha State Bar Council were present at the meeting.
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