Bhubaneswar: In a landmark move towards digital governance, the Odisha Legislative Assembly has embraced a paperless future with the full implementation of the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA). Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with Speaker Surama Padhi, inaugurated the ‘NeVA Digital House’ today, marking a major step in modernizing legislative processes in the state.
During the inauguration, the Chief Minister emphasized that this transition would revolutionize the way legislative affairs are conducted, allowing real-time access to proceedings, documents, and discussions. He highlighted that the move aligns with the broader vision of ‘Digital India’ and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in advancing digital transformation across the country.
NeVA, one of the 44 mission-mode projects of the Government of India, has been adopted by 16 other state assemblies, including those in Gujarat, Assam, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu. Odisha now stands among the frontrunners in embracing a completely digital legislative framework, enhancing transparency and efficiency in governance.
The shift to a digital system is expected to significantly reduce paper consumption, making the Assembly more eco-friendly. The initiative has already earned Odisha the prestigious CSI e-Governance Award of Excellence (Gold). First introduced in 2021, NeVA has now been fully implemented, enabling members to access e-books of proceedings, track attendance digitally, participate in e-voting, and manage agendas seamlessly.
Speaker Surama Padhi called it a historic day for Odisha, stating that the new system would make legislative operations more structured and effective. She emphasized that the Assembly’s transition to a digital platform would not only improve efficiency but also set a benchmark for other state legislatures to follow.
The event was attended by Deputy Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, Union Parliamentary Affairs Ministry Secretary Umang Narula, Additional Chief Secretary of General Administration and Public Grievance Department Surendra Kumar, Principal Secretary of Energy and Electronics & IT Departments Vishal Dev, NeVA Chief from New Delhi Sanjeev, and Assembly Secretary Satyabrata Rout.
