Legal problems can be stressful, especially when people are worried about the cost of hiring a lawyer. To make legal assistance more accessible, the Central Government has approved DISHA 2.0, an expanded scheme aimed at helping people access legal advice and support.

The scheme will run from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2031, with a total financial outlay of ₹255 crore. The government has set a target of reaching around 3 crore beneficiaries through its different components.

What Is DISHA 2.0?

DISHA stands for Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice. The updated DISHA 2.0 scheme is designed to make legal services more accessible, particularly for people who may find it difficult to approach lawyers or understand legal procedures.

The scheme will operate across all states and Union Territories and includes four major components: Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu, Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness, and VIDHI-Sanjeevani.

Free Legal Advice Through Tele-Law

One of the most useful parts of the scheme is Tele-Law, which provides access to pre-litigation legal advice.

The government plans to provide this service through a network of around 2.5 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) operating at the Gram Panchayat level. The programme is designed to cover 784 districts across all 36 States and Union Territories.

This means people who need legal guidance may be able to seek assistance without immediately having to visit a lawyer's office.

Free Legal Assistance Through Nyaya Bandhu

DISHA 2.0 also includes the Nyaya Bandhu (Pro-Bono Legal Services) Programme.

Under this initiative, eligible people can receive free legal assistance from participating advocates. The programme is also being expanded through the involvement of law colleges and pro-bono clubs.

This can be particularly useful for people who qualify for free legal aid but may not have the financial resources to pay for private legal representation.

Government Will Also Focus on Legal Awareness

Many people are unaware of their basic legal rights or don't know where to seek help when they face a legal problem.

The Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme aims to address this gap through awareness campaigns and partnerships with government departments, educational institutions, civil society organisations and other organisations.

The objective is to make people more aware of their legal rights and available support systems.

AI-Powered Nyaya Setu Chatbot Is Also Part of the Scheme

One of the new additions under DISHA 2.0 is VIDHI-Sanjeevani, a centralised digital platform.

It will include an AI-powered, multilingual Nyaya Setu chatbot, developed with BHASHINI, to support technology-enabled access to legal information and assistance.

The platform is also intended to bring together data from the different components of DISHA 2.0 and help with monitoring and decision-making.

Who Can Benefit From the Scheme?

DISHA 2.0 is intended to improve access to justice across the country. People who need legal advice, information about their rights or assistance in accessing eligible free legal services may benefit from the programme.

However, eligibility for free legal representation or specific legal-aid services can depend on the applicable legal-aid rules and the person's circumstances. Therefore, people should verify their eligibility before assuming that every legal service will automatically be free.

Why Is This Scheme Important?

The biggest benefit of DISHA 2.0 is that it aims to bring legal assistance closer to ordinary citizens instead of making people depend entirely on expensive private legal services.

With legal advice available through CSCs, pro-bono lawyers, awareness programmes and digital platforms, the government is attempting to make the justice system easier to access.

The earlier DISHA programme had already reached more than 2.37 crore beneficiaries as of May 31, 2026, according to the government. DISHA 2.0 now aims to expand this reach further over the next five years.

What Should You Do If You Need Legal Help?

If you are facing a legal problem and cannot afford a private lawyer, don't ignore the issue because of financial concerns.

You can explore the Tele-Law facility through a Common Service Centre and check whether you qualify for free legal aid. It is also important to keep relevant documents, notices and other records ready when seeking advice.

The government's objective with DISHA 2.0 is simple: a person's financial situation should not become a barrier to accessing justice.