AP CM disburses stipend to 2,677 lawyers

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday disbursed stipends worth Rs 6.12 crore to 2,677 eligible lawyers in the state. This programme has been started with the noble intention of enabling the newly graduated lawyers to stand on their own feet as their law practice is not established yet, Reddy said, adding that YSR Law Nestham is aimed at supporting the junior lawyers.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday disbursed stipends worth Rs 6.12 crore to 2,677 eligible lawyers in the state. The stipend is given to the lawyers, at the rate of Rs 5,000 per month from February to June, 2023 amounting to Rs 25,000 each under the 'YSR Law Nestham' scheme. The Chief Minister virtually disbursed this amount to junior lawyers who have completed their law course and newly entered the courtrooms. ''This programme has been started with the noble intention of enabling the newly graduated lawyers to stand on their own feet as their law practice is not established yet,'' Reddy said, adding that YSR Law Nestham is aimed at supporting the junior lawyers. With the annual stipend of Rs 60,000, the CM said in three years these beneficiary lawyers will have Rs 1.8 lakh in their hands to go ahead in their profession without facing hardships. Started in November, 2019 the southern state has already credited Rs 41.5 crore under this scheme while Reddy observed that no state in India is implementing a programme like this except Andhra Pradesh.

Besides YSR Law Nestham, Reddy highlighted that AP has set up a lawyers' welfare trust under the supervision of the advocate general at Rs 100 crore, which came in handy to meet the medical insurance, loans and other needs of eligible lawyers amounting to Rs 25 crore already. Noting that these initiatives point to the state government's support for lawyers, the Chief Minister has also expressed a desire that these beneficiaries will take care of the poor people through their profession once they stabilise and settle down.