Issuance of first instalment of Mother Sanction of Rs 401.50 crore for F.Y. 2026-27 under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for District and Subordinate Courts

The Ministry of Law and Justice released the first instalment of a "mother sanction" of ₹401.50 crore for FY 2026-27 to States and Union Territories through ...

What Happened

The Ministry of Law and Justice released the first instalment of a "mother sanction" of ₹401.50 crore for FY 2026-27 to States and Union Territories through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for District and Subordinate Courts.
The release was made virtually from New Delhi at Kartavya Bhawan-2, marking the start of the FY 2026-27 disbursement cycle under the scheme.
Since the scheme's inception in 1993-94, cumulative releases have reached ₹12,844.72 crore, of which ₹9,400.41 crore (over 73%) was released in the last 12 years, indicating a significant acceleration in funding.
As of 31 March 2026, the scheme has funded the construction of 6,345 court halls and 4,023 residential units for judicial officers; another 3,161 court halls and 3,245 residential units are currently under construction.

Static Topic Bridges

CSS for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for District and Subordinate Courts

This Centrally Sponsored Scheme has been operational since 1993-94, providing financial assistance to State and UT governments for constructing and upgrading physical infrastructure in the district and subordinate judiciary — the tier of courts that handles the overwhelming share of India's pending caseload. The scheme was extended for a five-year period (2021-26) by the Union Cabinet with a fresh financial commitment of ₹5,357 crore.

Five components covered: Court Halls, Residential Units for Judicial Officers, Lawyers' Halls, Toilet Complexes, and Digital Computer Rooms.
Funding pattern: 60:40 between Centre and States/UTs (general category); 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States; 100% Central funding for Union Territories without legislature.
The scheme is administered by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India.
"Mother sanction" refers to the aggregate approved sanction for a financial year from which individual state-specific releases are made as instalments.
The PFMS (Public Financial Management System) is used for direct, real-time digital transfer of central funds to state treasuries, eliminating manual processing and improving accountability.

Connection to this news: The ₹401.50 crore first instalment for FY 2026-27 is the first tranche of the annual mother sanction, disbursed through PFMS to enable states to begin construction and renovation activities for the current financial year.

Public Financial Management System (PFMS)

PFMS is a web-based platform developed and implemented by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) under the Ministry of Finance to facilitate efficient and transparent utilisation of public funds. It enables direct fund transfer from the Central Government to the last-mile implementing agency, real-time expenditure tracking, and reporting for all Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Central Sector Schemes.

PFMS integrates with state treasuries, bank systems, and beneficiary databases to enable end-to-end tracking of Central funds.
It generates a Unique Transaction Reference (UTR) for each disbursement, creating an auditable trail.
PFMS is mandatory for all CSS fund releases since 2017-18, replacing the earlier system where funds were first parked in state consolidated funds with delayed utilisation reporting.
The system enables the Centre to monitor physical and financial progress of schemes in real time, reducing float and improving fund utilisation efficiency.

Connection to this news: The use of PFMS for releasing the ₹401.50 crore instalment ensures immediate credit to state accounts with full digital accountability, consistent with the DBT and digital governance framework.

Article 39A and the Constitutional Basis for Judicial Infrastructure Investment

Article 39A, inserted into Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976, directs the State to ensure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity and to provide free legal aid to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disability.

Article 39A is a Directive Principle (Part IV) and therefore not directly justiciable, but provides a constitutional mandate for state action on access to justice.
Adequate physical infrastructure — court halls, residential accommodation for judges, lawyers' facilities — is a prerequisite for delivering on the Article 39A mandate; without sufficient courts and judges, delays render justice inaccessible regardless of formal legal rights.
The Supreme Court has in multiple judgments drawn on Article 39A to emphasise the State's obligation to address judicial infrastructure deficits.
The 15th Finance Commission (2021-26) acknowledged the need for improved judicial infrastructure and recommended strengthening of the CSS for district courts, supporting its extension and enhanced funding.

Connection to this news: The CSS release directly advances the constitutional objective of Article 39A by expanding physical court infrastructure, which is the foundational requirement for accessible and timely justice at the district level.

Key Facts & Data

FY 2026-27 first instalment under CSS for district courts: ₹401.50 crore.
Cumulative releases since scheme inception (1993-94): ₹12,844.72 crore.
Last 12 years' share of cumulative releases: ₹9,400.41 crore (over 73%).
Court halls constructed under the scheme (as of 31 March 2026): 6,345.
Residential units for judicial officers constructed: 4,023.
Court halls under construction: 3,161; residential units under construction: 3,245.
Centre-State funding ratio: 60:40 (general); 90:10 (NE and Himalayan States); 100% Centre for UTs.
Scheme extended for five years (2021-26) by Union Cabinet with ₹5,357 crore commitment.
PFMS operated by: Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.
Article 39A inserted by: 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976.
Five scheme components: Court Halls, Residential Units, Lawyers' Halls, Toilet Complexes, Digital Computer Rooms.