What are the legal measures taken by the government?

Legal awareness is the process of empowering and strengthening the powers and authority of the individuals through law. It is also called public legal education. It is the process of making the public aware of the powers, rights, and authorities that they have at their disposal and how to utilise them to prevent exploitation and injustices. Such a civic education among the public comprises a set of actions, activities, and policies designed to build public awareness and skills related to the legal and judicial system in the country and how the common man can approach them. The proper information about public welfare schemes and services and its rules and institutions by all the citizens in the society that results in the efficient functioning of the law is called legislative awareness.

The Legal Services Act was passed in 1987 to implement legal services uniformly in the country. There are four levels legal service authorities in the country- National Legal Service Authority, State Legal Service Authority, District Legal Service Authority and Tehsil/Taluk Legal Service Authority. To improve the judicial system and give more awareness and education to the people, many legal awareness programmes were designed and launched by the Central Government and various State Governments. Many plans were formulated and implemented to protect the public from unfair actions and to increase social welfare.

Some major plans and schemes introduced under legal awareness are:

• Assistance on accidental deaths- An accidental assistance of Rs. 5 lakhs is provided by the Rajasthan Government in case of the death of registered workers working in the unorganised sector. This is a huge assistance to them as they generally do not receive any benefits as against the workers under the organised sector.

• Medical Grant Fund Scheme- Rajasthan Government provides medical assistance of Rs. 1 lakh to the registered workers working in the unorganised sector. It is helpful for their medical treatments.

• Scholarship to the students- The Government has introduced various schemes to provide a scholarship to the students coming from the families of construction workers. It ranges from the basic school levels to the postgraduate level to both boys and girls.

• Maternity Aid Scheme- The government is providing financial assistance to the expecting mothers under the Women Beneficiary Scheme. Rs. 6000 is being provided as monetary assistance.

• Rajasthan Vishwakarma Non-Organised Workers Contribution Scheme- The scheme provides pension benefits for the registered workers of the unorganised sector. Contributable pension benefits are given for them for the protection through life.

• Maternity Benefit Act- The registered women workers of the unorganised sector have the right to take leave for 6 weeks before the delivery and 6 weeks after delivery.

• State Insurance and Employment Provident Fund Scheme- Rajasthan Government has introduced the Insurance and Provident Fund Scheme for the safety of the workers and to ensure them a huge monetary compensation at the time of their retirement. It is being organised on a contributory basis among workers.

• Child Marriage Prevention Act- The marriage of a girl child under 18 years and a boy child under 21 years is considered a punishable offence. It will make the parents liable for a fine of Rs. 1 lakh or a jail term of 2 years or both.

• Anti-Duplication Act- It is introduced to prevent the improper and dubious means during the examination. The candidate is liable for a punishment of up to 3 years for any such misconduct or for being an imposter.