New Delhi: The Lok Sabha Secretariat has launched a new app, Digital Parliament, which will make it easier for the people to follow the proceedings in Parliament, and also their own MPs. Apart from this, it will also help Members of Parliament to access services like checking the status of their notices, personal updates like House Bulletin etc. Since MPs are barred from using laptops inside the House, this app comes in handy for Parliamentary information for MPs. debate in the house. In future, MPs can login to attend, give questions for Question Hour or submit notices for debates or adjournment motions.
The Digital Parliament App is available on both Android and iOS platforms and carries almost all the major content of the Interlinked Portal of the Parliament of India. A senior official claimed that the digital parliament is one of the few apps of parliament internationally that offers a 360-degree view of legislative activities as well as services for members. It is the brainchild of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who has sought to make parliamentary proceedings more accessible to the people.
Apart from proceedings in the current House, people will also be able to access archival data relating to all Lok Sabha. They will be able to access speeches, debates etc.
“The function of a committed legislature is to keep its constituents informed of its routine proceedings. For this purpose Parliament needs to keep its communication channels updated with the rapidly changing technological landscape. With this vision in mind, Parliament also started expanding its digital footprint. The official ‘Digital Sansad App’ of Parliament is an initiative in that direction.”
Aimed at the digital interface of the Indian Parliament with the younger generation, the app has already seen over 8000 users from India and countries including the US and Saudi Arabia.
The app planned by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will help people to get all parliamentary updates. “It has become easy for citizens to get general information about MPs on budget speeches, discussions of the House from 12th Lok Sabha to 17th Lok Sabha since 1947 till date. The app will also have live telecast of Parliament proceedings, major news of the day, etc. Apart from the virtual tour of Parliament, the 2022 budget session can also be watched live on the app,” said the activist.
The latest effort fits in with a larger digital scheme that has seen a reduction in the use of papers in Parliament. “Now members mostly give notices online. We have been successful in reducing the use of paper in Parliament by 98 per cent. Important documents including physical copies of upcoming budget papers will be restricted and can be accessed online,” said a top official.
Opposition leaders, however, pointed out that Parliament should have gone completely digital and allowed online meetings of its House panels during the pandemic. Several appeals by opposition MPs to allow digital meetings in the last two years were not accepted.
