Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on 12 February inaugurated the ‘Digital House’ under the e-Vidhan Application, transforming the Odisha Legislative Assembly into a ‘Paperless’ institution where Lawmakers will now use tablets to access documents and other information during proceedings.
CM Shri Majhi inaugurated the facility in the presence of Speaker OLA, Surama Padhy and Deputy Speaker, 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 State 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.
Chief Minister said, “Odisha Legislative 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.
OLA 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 Chief Minister Shri Majhi, Parliamentary Affairs minister Mukesh Mahaling, Minister Law, Prithviraj Harichandan, opposition members, and others.
Earlier, Chief Minister visited Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Kambhampati Hari Babu and invited him to inaugurate and address the Budget Session. This will be the Governor’s maiden address to the Odisha Legislative 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 of Odisha House will be held in two phases: the first from 13-21 February and the second from 7 March to 5 April.
Chief Minister Shri Majhi, who is also in charge holding Finance Portfolio, will present the full budget for 2025-26 on 17 February.
Opposition Biju Janata Dal and Congress Lawmakers held separate meeting to strategize their role in the Assembly Session.