Burgeoning its digitisation, the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly is set to transition into a completely paperless digital institution ahead of the upcoming Budget Session. The governance and administrative efficiency sector is expected to undergo comprehensive digitisation within a period of three months.
The project, a part of the Central Government’s wider Digital India mission, will be implemented through the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) framework. A formal proposal to execute the digital overhaul has been submitted to the Union Government, with the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society designated to execute the technical implementation.
A memorandum of understanding is also being finalised between the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the state government and the Legislative Assembly Secretariat to integrate the House into the national One Nation One Legislative Platform network.
Interacting with the media, Dinesh Sharma, Secretary of the Chhattisgarh State Assembly, said CHiPS is the nodal agency for implementing the NeVA project in the Assembly and is coordinating with the National Informatics Centre and National Informatics Centre Services Incorporated, a Government of India enterprise, to transform the House into a digital assembly.
“Hon’ble Speaker, Dr Raman Singh, is zealously pursuing the implementation of the NeVA programme in Chhattisgarh as well,” he stated.
Chhattisgarh Assembly currently functions at the newly constructed high-tech Assembly complex in Sector 19 of Nava Raipur. Built at an estimated cost of Rs 324 crore, the complex is part of the state’s modernisation initiative.
Under the modernisation blueprint, the House floor has been architectured as an advanced e-Chamber. Every Member of the Legislative Assembly will have a personal digital gadget and tablet installed on their desks, replacing paper files and printed documents. The bulk of questions during Question Hour will also be handled digitally.
In order to enhance transparency and keep lawmakers, civil servants, media personnel and citizens updated on legislative business, the Assembly’s dedicated mobile application is being revised. The application will host daily legislative agendas, parliamentary bulletins, live streaming of House proceedings, the Chhattisgarh Gazette, budget speeches and a full list of starred and unstarred legislative questions.