Government’s initiatives to promote understanding of the Constitution

Source- This post on Government’s initiatives to promote understanding of the Constitution has been created based on the article “Government of India has taken various steps to popularize the understanding of the Constitution” published in PIB on 3 August 2024.

Why in News?

The government of India has implemented several initiatives to promote understanding of the Constitution and increase awareness of legal rights.

1. Citizens’ Duties Awareness Programme (CDAP):

i) It was launched on November 26, 2019. It aimed to enhance awareness of the Constitution with a focus on Fundamental Duties.

ii) Through this program, over 48.6 crore citizens were reached using various tools, including online Preamble reading and pledge-taking, webinars, e-ticket messaging, and social media campaigns.

iii) A significant number of Ministries, Departments, Gram Panchayat representatives, and Special Gram Sabhas participated, along with a grassroots campaign in 1000 digital villages across 16 states.

2. Hamara Samvidhan Hamara Samman” campaign:

i) This has been initiated by the Department of Justice on 24 January 2024. This is to celebrate the 75th year of India as a Republic and to promote Constitutional principles.

ii) This year-long campaign involved regional events, sub-campaigns like “Sabko Nyaya Har Ghar Nyaya,” “Nav Bharat Nav Sankalp,” and “Vidhi Jagriti Abhiyaan,” and activities such as reading the Panch Pran Pledge in regional languages, organizing Nyaya Sewa Melas, and online competitions.

iii) Law students and media partnerships further supported the campaign.

3. Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA) program:

i) The Department of Justice also launched the Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA) program in 2021, reaching 15.30 lakh individuals through community engagement and educational materials.

ii) The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) conducted extensive legal literacy and awareness programs, including a six-week Pan India Legal Awareness and Outreach Campaign in 2021, which covered 6.7 lakh villages and 4100 municipal towns.

iii) The “Empowerment of Citizens through Legal Awareness and Outreach” campaign in 2022, aimed at bridging gaps between institutions and the underprivileged.

iv) NALSA also organized Legal Empowerment Camps to educate citizens on welfare legislations and provide tailored legal assistance, benefiting 11.46 lakh citizens in 2023-2024 alone.

4. These comprehensive efforts, supported by mass media and the distribution of accessible educational materials, underscore the government’s commitment to legal literacy and Constitutional education.

UPSC Syllabus: Polity and nation