CHENNAI: Law Minister S Reghupathy on Wednesday said an additional court will be established exclusively to conduct trials of cases registered by the Central Crime Branch of the Greater Chennai Police.
Replying to debate on demands for grants, the minister said district and sessions court will be established in Kallakurichi, Tenkasi and Ranipet districts, a chief judicial magistrate court will be constituted in Udhagamandalam, and seven sub-courts will come up in Trichy, Theni, Tiruvannamalai and other districts.
Nine district munsif-cum-judicial magistrate courts will also be set up in Vellore, Erode, Pudukkottai and other districts, he said. Honorarium for 24 counsellors working in central prisons and other prisons will be increased to Rs 25,000 from Rs 15,000.
The expenditure for providing special food to prisoners on Pongal, Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti will be increased to Rs 100 from Rs 50. To reform and rehabilitate prisoners, a new scheme ‘Seerthirutha Siragugal’ will be introduced at a cost of Rs 1 crore, he said.
The annual grant provided to the Tamil Nadu Advocates Welfare Fund by the State government will be increased to `10 crore from Rs 8 crore. The quantum of apportionment credited to prisoners’ accounts from wages earned by them will also be increase to 80% from 50%.