In a major leap towards modern governance, the Haryana Vidhan Sabha created history today by conducting approximately 90% of its legislative business in a completely paperless format using the National e-Vidhan Application (NEVA).
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The Digital Shift: For the first time, almost all documents—including the list of business, copies of bills, starred and unstarred questions, and reports of various committees—were accessed by the MLAs directly through the digital tablets installed at their desks. The traditional practice of distributing heavy bundles of printed papers was notably absent.
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Efficient Legislating: The use of the NEVA app allowed for real-time updates. When the HCOC Bill was passed earlier today, amendments and the final draft were instantly visible on the members’ screens, allowing for a more informed and immediate debate.
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Saving Resources: Legislative officials estimated that this single day of paperless proceedings saved over 5 lakh sheets of paper, aligning with the “Green Assembly” initiative championed by the Speaker.
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MLA Adoption: While initial sessions saw some technical hesitation, today witnessed a high level of proficiency among the legislators. Younger MLAs were seen assisting senior colleagues in navigating the app’s interface. A dedicated technical support team remained stationed in the house to troubleshoot any connectivity issues.
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Speaker’s Commendation: The Speaker praised the members for embracing the technology. “Today, we have proven that the Haryana Assembly is a frontrunner in the Digital India movement. Moving from bulky files to a single tablet has not only saved money but has significantly enhanced the transparency and speed of our work,” he said during his concluding remarks for the day.
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Future Outlook: With the success of today’s proceedings, the administration is now looking to integrate “Digital Voting” and “Online Petitioning” into the NEVA platform by the next budget session, making the assembly 100% paperless.
