Niti Aayog proposes to study Uttar Pradesh assembly’s paperless legislature model
The Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly has gone paperless to a large extent since May 2022. The assembly’s agenda, process of putting up questions and presentation of the annual budget have gone online.
The Niti Aayog proposes to study the implementation of e-Vidhan, the National e-Vidhan Application (paperless legislature) in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative assembly to suggest improvisation, if any, and roll out the state’s model across legislative assemblies in the country.
The Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly has gone paperless to a large extent since May 2022. The assembly’s agenda, process of putting up questions and presentation of the annual budget have gone online.
“Niti Aayog has got in touch with us, proposing a study of the implementation of the e-Vidhan as a test case in Uttar Pradesh. We hope a team of Niti Aayog will soon visit the state to study the state’s model and submit a paper to the union government to present the same as a model for unrolling e-Vidhan in other states,” said principal secretary, state legislative assembly, Pradeep Dubey.
“Niti Aayog has telephonically informed us about the move and we are getting ready for their visit,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly decided to go paperless soon after constitution of the new House after the 2022 assembly elections. The number of seats in the 403-member House was increased to ensure that a seat was reserved for every member.
All the ministers, including those who are members of the upper house, also have a dedicated seat for them.
All the desks of the members have a device (tablet) fixed and special training sessions were organised to make the members learn the use of the National eVidhan Application before the same was set in place in the House.
Speaker Satish Mahana said his endeavour has been to adopt the best practices in the House and make the proceedings of the state legislative assembly paperless. He said the steps taken by the state legislative assembly have sent a positive message across the country.
“Niti Aayog obviously wants to study the initiatives of the state legislative assembly. We are going to invite the professionals from IIMs and other reputed institutions as well to brief them about what has been done in the state. We have already released a book giving details of members who come from different backgrounds and belong to different age groups. We have set up groups of members to hold discussions about the issues concerning them and have their feedback too,” said Mahana.
Niti Aayog officials were not available for comment.