Nongpoh, May 9: In a historic occasion, Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant today visited Ri-Bhoi District to inaugurate a legal awareness programme for people of the district.

The Mega Camp-cum- Awareness Programme on the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) schemes and government welfare scheme was held at Madan Heh of Marngar village. It was organised by the Meghalaya High Court in collaboration with the Meghalaya State Legal Aid Services Authority with the aims of spreading awareness about NALSA schemes and various welfare schemes implemented by both the Central and State governments.

The Chief Justice of India while addressing the programme mentioned about his earlier visit to Meghalaya during his tenure as the Executive Chairman of NALSA.

He appreciated the efforts of various government departments, judicial officers, para-legal volunteers, civil society organisations and community groups in giving legal aid and awareness to the general public.

Chief Justice Kant also said that the people should be given closer access to justice and public welfare programmes by making the system simplified and reacheable for the common man.

Sharing his experience during his term as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Kant recalled about the case of a construction worker who had to struggle for nearly one year to avail disability and welfare benefits for his injured wife due to red tape, lack of legal awareness and technological barriers.

The Chief Justice of India said that the family finally received the benefits they were entitled to after legal interventions.

He said the case is one of the examples of citizens facing difficulties to avail their rights due to barriers such as distance, language, procedure and technology.

“The real challenge is not the absence of schemes, but whether the system is capable of reaching the people where they are,” he said.

According to the Chief Justice of India, despite the existence of legal aid frameworks and welfare schemes, many citizens remain excluded due to structural barriers.

He mentioned that lack of legal awareness remains one of the major challenges for citizens to avail their rightful benefits in the country.

“A right unknown is often a right denied,” he added.

Justice Kant further said that procedural requirements, documentation issues and distance often led citizens to be deprived of rights and benefits guaranteed to them under the Constitution and legislations.

During the programme, Justice Kant distributed assistive devices to persons with disabiities and also handed over cheques and work orders to various Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and village organisations.

Certificates were also awarded to outstanding legal aid panel lawyers, Para Legal Volunteers and Legal Aid Defense Counsel lawyers for their performance during 2025.

Also present at the programme were Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere, High Court judge Justice Hamarsan S. Thangkhiew, Meghalaya Law Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem, senior government officials and members of the public.