ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: The government informed the National Assembly on Monday that it had released Rs1 billion to the provinces during the financial year 2003-04 under the Access to Justice Programme (AJP).

Replying to supplementary questions during the question hour, the minister for parliamentary affairs and justice, Raza Hayat Hiraj, said at least 1000 judges would be inducted to strengthen the judiciary and clear the backlog of cases.

In reply to a question by Mehreen Anwar Raja, Mr Hiraj said an amount of $150 million out of a total soft loan of $350 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had already been released.

He said the Access to Justice Programme funding distribution to the provinces was based on NEC formula with 40 per cent of the amount being with the federal government while 60 per cent going to the provinces.

M.P. Bhandara questioned the rationale for constructing structures of bricks and concrete with Rs1 billion funding if the processes for dispensation of justice could not be improved.

"ADB's one billion rupees were not for buildings or court- rooms but for access to justice at the earliest." He said delivery of justice was being inordinately delayed. Replying to the points raised by Mr Bhandara, the minister said Access to Justice Programme included a variety of projects and one way of improving the justice system was to strengthen the service delivery structures.