Why in news?
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs held the third National Conference on the National e‑Vidhan Application (NeVA) in New Delhi. During the conference a committee of secretaries was formed to accelerate the implementation of the digital legislature platform across all states and union territories.
Background
NeVA is a flagship initiative under Digital India to make legislative proceedings paperless. It provides a common platform for parliament and state legislatures to create, share and access documents electronically. By digitising bills, committee reports, questions and agendas, NeVA reduces paper consumption and allows members to participate using tablets or laptops. The system also supports live streaming of sessions and real‑time updates for citizens.
Progress and decisions
- Adoption across India: Twenty‑eight legislative houses have signed agreements with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, and twenty of them have already gone live on the NeVA platform.
- Committee of secretaries: The newly constituted committee will address technical and operational challenges, speed up onboarding of remaining legislatures and oversee the digitisation of legacy records.
- Artificial Intelligence: Delegates discussed using AI to organise legislative data, summarise large documents and provide translation services, making parliamentary work more accessible.
- Inspiration from Delhi: The Delhi Legislative Assembly signed its MoU on 22 March 2025, went digital within one hundred days and held its first paperless session on 4 August 2025. Union minister Kiren Rijiju praised this rapid transition as a model for other states.
- National Legislative Index: Participants proposed a digital index to compare legislative performance across states, encouraging competition and transparency.
Benefits
NeVA makes legislative processes more efficient by eliminating bulky paperwork, enabling remote participation and allowing citizens to follow proceedings online. Over time it is expected to save trees, cut costs and promote accountability.
Sources: News On AIR · NDTV Profit · The Statesman