Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Wednesday inaugurated the ‘Digital House’ under the e-Vidhan Application, transforming the Odisha Assembly into a paperless institution where members will now use tablets to access documents and other information during proceedings.
Majhi inaugurated the facility in the presence of Speaker Surama Padhy and her deputy Bhabani Shankar Bhoi.
The ‘Digital House’, developed by the National Informatics Center (NIC), is part of the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) project, aimed at reducing paper usage and enhancing transparency in the legislative process.
The Assembly has installed tablets for all 147 members to use during sessions. This digital shift will begin just before the start of the budget session on Thursday, where legislators will participate in question-and-answer sessions and proposals via digital platforms.
In his address, Majhi said, “Odisha Assembly is now part of the digital revolution in the country. It is a historic day for the state,” adding that Odisha Assembly is now one of the few paperless legislative bodies in the nation.
Speaker Surama Padhy said, “It’s a memorable day in the history of Odisha Assembly. The e-Vidhan Application will increase the efficiency of the House and its members.”
Odisha is the 17th state to implement NeVA after Gujarat, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar (Council), Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and Sikkim.
Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik welcomed the initiative, stating it would enhance the efficiency of the members. However, Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam stressed the importance of training for the 84 new MLAs, saying, “Members should be properly trained to use this facility.”
Meanwhile, Speaker Surama Padhy held an all-party meeting to discuss strategies for the upcoming budget session. The meeting included Majhi, parliamentary affairs minister Mukesh Mahaling, law minister Prithviraj Harichandan, opposition members, and others.
Earlier, Majhi visited Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Kambhampati Hari Babu and invited him to address the start of the budget session. This will be the Governor’s first address to the Odisha Assembly.
“Chief Minister Shri @MohanMOdisha met Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampatiat Raj Bhavan. On this occasion, the Chief Minister discussed with the Governor the achievement of the goal of developing Odisha,” the CMO said in a X post.
The budget session will be held in two phases: the first from February 13 to 21, and the second from March 7 to April 5. Majhi, who is also in charge of the finance department, will present the full budget for 2025-26 on February 17.
Separately, different parties are holding their legislature party meetings to strategise for the long session ahead.
PTI
