NeVA: Project To Make Vidhan Sabha Paperless Stuck For Want Of Funds

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The implementation of National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) programme to make the state Assembly completely paperless is getting delayed owing to the state government’s inability to allocate its share of funding. The Central government and the state have to share the E-Vidhan cost in a 60:40 ratio.

The Centre has paid 20% of its share for the project, however, the state government is yet to release its share under the cost-sharing arrangement. Developed by the Government of India, NeVA aims to completely digitize legislative and administrative work in the Assemblies thereby eliminating the need for paper. The programme enables members to use electronic devices to participate in House proceedings.

NeVA Unicode software has the provision for easy access to various documents like list of questions, list of business, reports etc. bilingually viz. English and any regional language. Under the programme a computer screen is to be attached on each table in the 230 members' assembly in the state. The proceedings of the House will be displayed on the screens.

Additional secretary state Assembly, Virendra Kumar told Free Press that a detailed project report (DPR) for implementing the new system has been prepared by the Vidhan Sabha and approved by the Government of India.  

The Centre will pay 60 % of the cost of the project and 40%  cost will be borne by the state government. The GoI had released 20 % of its share but the state government is yet to release its share and this is delaying the implementation of the project, the official said. The Assembly had prepared a Rs 23 crore project but the Centre approved Rs 20 crore , he added. The members will be trained to use the facility. A ‘facility centre’ will be developed to help those members to upload and to download the information available in e-vidhan.   

online Question-answers

Under the programme all the questions and their answers will be given online. At the primary stage the system will run in a hybrid manner and information both in digital and in paper formats will be provided to the MLAs.  At present some MLAs are filing questions online and a few offline.

The 10% provision

In the DPR 10% extra budget had been earmarked so that 23 more seats can have the screen facility. Currently there are 230 seats for the members in the House. It is also informed that after the delimitation, more members may come and to meet the requirement, the budget will be sought.