New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) From less delay to faster justice, this is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on his official social media account, as the Union Cabinet, chaired by him, on Wednesday approved the continuation of the Centrally sponsored scheme for fast track special courts, including exclusive POCSO Courts, for a further period of five years from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031.

The scheme carries a total financial outlay of Rs 3,788.04 crore, of which the Central share of Rs 2,353.15 crore will be funded from the Nirbhaya Fund and the remaining Rs 1,434.89 crore will be the share of participating states and Union Territories (UTs).

The extended scheme provides for the operationalisation of 850 fast track special courts across the country, up from the present 779 functional courts.

Each court will have a dedicated Judicial Officer, a Special Public Prosecutor assigned exclusively to it, and six support staff to ensure focused and expeditious disposal of pending cases of rape and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

Central assistance will continue to be provided to states and UTs to meet the operational expenditure of these courts in accordance with the approved funding pattern.

The continuation of the scheme is expected to deliver faster trials and timely justice to victims of sexual offences, reduce the large backlog of rape and POCSO cases, and promote a child-friendly and victim-centric court environment through the establishment of Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centres and specially designed court spaces.

By prioritising cases involving women and children, the scheme also aims to reduce inequalities in access to justice.

Implementation will be overseen by the Department of Justice in coordination with state governments and UT administrations.

Expansion of the courts to 850 will be based on the pendency of rape and POCSO cases in different districts.

erformance will be monitored through the FTSC Dashboard, periodic progress reports and expenditure statements, along with regular consultations with High Courts and state governments.

The primary beneficiaries remain women and children who are victims of sexual offences.

Launched on October 2, 2019, in the wake of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 and the Supreme Court’s directions, the scheme currently operates in 29 states and Union Territories.

Since its inception, the 779 functional Fast Track Special Courts, including 399 exclusive POCSO Courts, have disposed of 4,02,457 cases.

The fresh five-year extension is intended to further strengthen the judiciary’s capacity to deliver time-bound justice in these sensitive matters.

–IANS

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