The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs plays a pivotal role in ensuring smooth coordination and effective communication between the executive and legislative branches of government. It serves as the bridge between Parliament and the government, facilitating the exchange of information, drafting legislation, and coordinating parliamentary activities. Through its various functions, the ministry aims to uphold democratic principles and strengthen the functioning of the parliamentary system.
National eVidhan Application (NeVA)
- National eVidhan Application (NeVA) is a mission-mode project designed to digitize the functioning of legislative houses in India with the objective of creating paperless environments. Here are key details about NeVA:
- Mission Mode Project: NeVA operates as a Mission Mode Project, which means it is an initiative with a specific goal and set of objectives, aimed at achieving digital transformation in legislative processes.
- Theme – ‘One Nation – One Application’: The underlying theme of NeVA is to unify all legislative bodies in the country under one digital platform. This is in line with the vision of creating a seamless, standardized system for all legislatures.
- Objective: The primary goal of NeVA is to convert all state legislatures into “DIGITAL HOUSES”. This transition enables legislative bodies to conduct government business entirely in a digital format, including exchanging information with state government departments through digital means.
- Unicode Compliance: NeVA employs Unicode-compliant software. Unicode is a standard that enables the encoding of characters from all the world’s scripts. This ensures that NeVA is capable of processing text in multiple languages, including English and regional languages.
- Documents Accessibility: NeVA facilitates easy access to various legislative documents such as lists of questions, business agendas, reports, etc. These documents can be accessed in both English and the relevant regional language.
- First Digital Legislature – Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh holds the distinction of being the first state to implement NeVA, making it the pioneer in adopting digital practices in legislative proceedings.
- By digitizing legislative processes, NeVA aims to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in the functioning of legislative bodies across the country. This initiative is a significant step towards modernizing and streamlining the operations of India’s legislative houses.
FAQs
Q1. What is the role of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs?
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs acts as a liaison between the government and Parliament, facilitating communication, coordination, and cooperation between the two branches of government. It plays a crucial role in drafting legislation, coordinating parliamentary proceedings, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the democratic process.
Q2. How does the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs support parliamentary democracy?
The ministry supports parliamentary democracy by promoting transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the functioning of Parliament. It provides essential administrative and logistical support to parliamentary sessions, committees, and members of Parliament. Additionally, it assists in the formulation and implementation of policies that reflect the will of the people as expressed through their elected representatives.
Q3. What are the key functions of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs?
The key functions of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs include drafting legislation, facilitating parliamentary debates and discussions, coordinating government responses to parliamentary inquiries, providing research and administrative support to members of Parliament, and promoting public awareness of parliamentary processes and procedures.
Q4. How does the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs contribute to legislative development?
The ministry plays a central role in the legislative process by assisting in the drafting, scrutiny, and enactment of legislation. It works closely with government departments, parliamentary committees, and stakeholders to formulate policies and draft bills that address the needs and priorities of the nation. Through its expertise and experience, the ministry helps ensure that proposed laws are well-crafted, effective, and in accordance with constitutional principles.
Q5. What measures does the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs take to enhance parliamentary transparency and accountability?
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs promotes transparency and accountability by facilitating open and informed debate in Parliament, ensuring the availability of relevant information to lawmakers and the public, and supporting mechanisms for parliamentary oversight of the executive branch. It encourages public participation in the legislative process through public consultations, hearings, and other outreach activities, thereby fostering greater trust and confidence in democratic institutions.
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