Pema Khandu Bats For Knowledge On Parliamentary Affairs

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Emphasizing proper knowledge and procedures of parliamentary affairs, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday said that training and orientation of elected members of Legislative Assembly is necessary for democracy to thrive in its truest form.

Inaugurating a two-day orientation programme here for the MLAs on ways, means and procedures of Legislative Assembly as well as on the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), Khandu urged all the elected representatives to take advantage of the programme and equip themselves to serve the people better.

He said the Seventh Legislative Assembly of the State is one of the best in terms of elected members, irrespective of party affiliations.

“I appreciate the people for sending educated, honest and energetic representatives to the Assembly. As members of this august House, we have great responsibilities of fulfilling the aspirations of our electorates,” he pointed out.

Reiterating his call to work as 'Team Arunachal', Khandu however, said only sloganeering or verbal services would not suffice. He said all members need to be equipped with the best and latest technology and knowledge so that they can pro-actively participate in meaningful and positive proceedings of the Assembly.

“As every profession needs proper training to succeed, elected leaders too need proper training to deliver. Hence this orientation programme,” he said while expressing optimism that the next session of the State Legislative Assembly would witness a vast change in participation of its members.

Pema Khandu also underscored the importance of digitalization of the State Legislative Assembly, for which the Centre has launched the National e-Vidhan Application.

“Once the State Legislative Assembly is digitalized and the Assembly sessions go paperless, think of the tonnes of papers that would be saved directly contributing to the State’s exchequer and to the environment,” he said.

He added that the State government through its IT department has taken upon itself to make all its offices paperless by 2021, which he said, would bring in transparency, immediate disposal of files, save public money as well as contribute to the environment by checking pollution through office-waste.

In his remarks, Assembly Speaker PD Sona appreciated the attendance of almost all members and assured that the programme is not another run-of-the-mill training. At the end of the day, he said, members would acquire the know-how and master the technology required in today’s era to evolve as real representatives of the people.

“When the entire world has been summed up in our smartphones, we as people’s representatives cannot remain illiterate…but become e-literate,” he added while acknowledging the importance of the technical sessions on NeVA in the two-day programme.

NeVA Project or Paperless Assembly or e-Assembly is a concept to enable automation of entire law making process, tracking of decisions and documents, sharing of information and bring all legislatures of the country together on one platform.

Through NeVA, members would be able to handle diverse House Business smartly by putting entire information regarding member contact details, rules of procedure, list of business, notices, bulletins, bills, starred/unstarred questions and answers, papers laid, committee reports etc. in their hand-held devices/ tablets and equip all Legislatures/ Departments to handle it efficiently.

Citizens would also gain access to this information at their fingertips.

The two-day programme is being jointly organized by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training, Lok Sabha Secretariat and the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretariat.

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