Guwahati: Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant stated on Saturday that true progress in India should not be gauged by GDP or statistics alone, but rather by the extent to which justice, dignity, and equal opportunities are ensured for all citizens nationwide.
He underscored the vital role of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in this endeavor, describing it as a crucial link between the legal system and the lives of ordinary people.
Speaking at the opening session of a two-day ‘East Zone Regional Conference’ organized by NALSA, Justice Kant noted the particular significance of the meeting, suggesting that the eastern region of India represents not just geographical frontiers but also frontiers of justice within the country.
“This gathering, on the eve of the East-Zone Regional Conference, is more than an inauguration – it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to justice, ensuring it reaches those areas where it has historically been slow to arrive: the valleys, tea gardens, and borderlands of India’s East,” the senior Supreme Court judge and Executive Chairman of NALSA remarked.
He commended the organizers for their “deep moral vision,” which acknowledges the historical inequities and structural challenges faced by India’s Eastern States.
The conference, organized by the Assam State Legal Services Authority in partnership with the Gauhati High Court, brought together stakeholders to discuss critical issues. Justice Kant pointed out that while the eastern states, including the Northeast, boast rich biodiversity, culture, and traditions, they also grapple with significant adversities requiring collective attention.
Highlighting the region’s contributions, he mentioned Assam’s tea, Bengal’s intellectual heritage, Bihar’s agricultural importance, Odisha’s coastal trade links, and Jharkhand’s mineral resources, adding that the Northeast remains a vibrant cultural hub for India.
However, Justice Kant also noted the persistent vulnerabilities and concerning disparities in development indicators across these states. He referenced the Multidimensional Poverty Index, indicating that some of these states are among the most deprived.
While India’s Sustainable Development Goal Index shows progress, Justice Kant stressed that much work remains to be done to achieve gender equality, ensure access to justice, and protect human dignity.
“True progress is not measured merely by GDP or statistics, but by whether justice, dignity, and opportunity are equitably distributed across every community,” he asserted.
Key concerns for the region include child marriage, substance abuse, challenges faced by tribal communities and tea garden workers, and mental health issues.
Addressing NALSA’s role, Justice Kant stated, “It is in this space of shared inequality that the National Legal Services Authority must step in as the bridge between law and life. NALSA must acknowledge its tasks to ensure that law does not remain confined to books or courtrooms, but is translated into everyday justice that touches the lives of the most marginalized.”
He detailed NALSA’s initiatives, such as DAWN, ASHA SoP for curbing child marriage, and SAMVAD.
Furthermore, he announced the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025, aimed at providing quality legal assistance at no cost to the families of defense personnel serving on the nation’s borders in the Northeast.
Justice Kant concluded by emphasizing that the conference’s technical sessions should serve as practical opportunities to align regional realities with national strategies. He called for strengthened inter-agency coordination, leveraging technology, and fostering a listening approach to understand and address the sentiments of marginalized communities.
“…the Eastern States are not mere frontiers of India’s geography; they are frontiers of India’s justice. To secure justice here is to strengthen the moral fabric of our great Republic,” he added.