Delhi Assembly to go 'paperless' in next three months; MLAs to have tabs

NEW DELHI: A new research centre at the Delhi Assembly to give recommendations to the House will be functional by September and in the next three months, the Delhi Assembly will go "paperless" as part of an ambitious project under which every MLA will be given tabs to keep abreast with House proceedings.

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said that MLA seats will also have LCD computer screen through which they will be able to see list of business during the Assembly session besides reading questions and other documents about House proceedings. The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 20 crore to fund the project after the Assembly Secretariat opted out of the Centre's NeVA (National e-Vidhan Application), for all legislatures.

The Assembly's technical advisory committee has approved the proposal, which has been sent to the finance department of the Delhi government for further procedure. "In next three months, the Delhi Assembly will go paperless. MLAs also can see from home whether his or her question to be asked during Session has been chosen or not. The project is being executed with the financial help of the Delhi government which has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the same," Goel said.

According to a senior official, as per the plan, legislators will be provided tabs so that they are well-informed about House proceedings in advance. The official said that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) is providing technical support to the Assembly Secretariat in executing the project.

An agency will soon be hired to execute the "dream project" of Speaker, official said. According to him, in January this year, Delhi Assembly Secretary C Velmurugan had written to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, saying that the General Purpose Committee, chaired by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has decided to opt out of NeVA. "The Delhi Assembly proposes to implement the 'Automation of Delhi Assembly project' through resources of the Delhi government itself," Velmurugan had said in the letter.

Among other reforms, Goel has also initiated a new research centre in the Assembly. The centre, he said, will act as a recommendation body for the House and, in turn, will help the city government to serve the people better. The centre will start from August-end or early September.

Goel said it was being introduced to create a "repository of valuable research and reference material for use of lawmakers and other stakeholders. It will also help the Assembly in providing quality research and reference material to the MLAs on their demand".

The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 14 crore for the research centre. "The need for a research centre arose due to several reasons including what should the government provide to its people and how can these facilities be improved," Goel said. The centre will study best practices in various fields in other legislatures and governments in and outside India," he said.

"It will provide a comparative study of existing laws and policies in other states and countries. It will publish reports and resource material for use of the MLAs, departments and other stakeholders," Goel stated.