Govt urges DRTs to emulate best practices to accelerate disposal of cases

New Delhi, May 3
In a bid to reduce pendency and accelerate disposal of cases, the government has urged debt recovery tribunals (DRTs) to emulate best practices.

In a meeting here, Finance Ministry held deliberations on boosting disposal of cases in debt recovery tribunals.

Tribunals were urged to emulate best practices adopted by high-performing debt recovery tribunals (DRTs), its said in a statement.

Key areas of discussion included strengthening oversight and monitoring mechanisms within banks to enhance recoveries through DRTs, prioritising high-value cases for optimal recovery outcomes; leveraging Lok Adalats as an effective alternate dispute resolution, according to the ministry.

Also, the mechanisms for expeditious disposal, procedural reforms to accelerate case disposal and comprehensive capacity-building initiatives were discussed during the meeting.

According to Finance Ministry, DRTs have witnessed an encouraging increase in monthly disposal rates with renewed emphasis on capacity building and strengthening infrastructure through targeted training programmes.

Last September, a mediation training programme helped presiding officers of DRTs and senior executives of Public Sector Banks resolve disputes more effectively and improve decision-making in debt recovery cases.

The programme was organised by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC) of the Supreme Court of India.

During the training, participants were introduced to the concept of mediation, its advantages over traditional judicial processes, and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods.

“The training was organised considering the importance of dispute resolution mechanisms in the present times,” the ministry said. “Mediation is internationally recognised as an effective practice for resolving disputes through mutual consensus,” the ministry added.

Sessions also focused on the stages of mediation, the role of mediators, communication techniques, and strategies for negotiation and bargaining.

“During this training programme various topics including concept of mediation, comparison between judicial process and various ADR processes, the process, stages and role of mediators, ways of communication in mediation as well as negotiation and bargaining in mediation were covered,” the ministry stated.