Finally, e-Parliament is arriving

 Finally, e-Parliament is arriving

 

 

 

 

Context :

New Parliament may help MPs work remotely with tech upgrades    /   HT   /  08  Oct  2022

Extract :

Ø  The new “smart” Parliament building, being constructed under the Central Vista redevelopment plan, is set to leverage artificial intelligence with a number of technological upgrades and tablet computers for every lawmaker under the Digital Sansad Project, officials familiar with the matter said on Friday.

Ø  The project will upgrade Parliamentary access for MPs and citizens.

Ø  Parliament is working on systems that are “device-agnostic” and will facilitate the concept of “ Work from Anywhere ( WAW )”, the note said.

Ø  “It would also require the development of an integrated platform and database to bring all stakeholders – Members of Parliament, Committees, Legislative Parties, Citizens, Secretariat and various Government Ministries/ Departments — on a unified digital platform

Ø  Among several upcoming projects is a single portal for Parliament that will provide quicker information and faster access to archives.

Ø  The idea is that during the proceedings of the House, whatever an MP requires to deliver a speech, search precedents or get quick background notes on the subject, everything will be available on the site. And he can access that on the tablet computer at his seat

Ø  Other projects include the creation of a digital sansad app and live streaming of all proceedings.

Ø  It will make it easier for MPs to perform their duties and also make Parliament accessible to common people

Ø  The government is also considering building a system to allow parliamentarians to vote remotely, while ensuring the security and integrity of the vote, the first official said.

Ø  There will be an artificial intelligence-based speech to text conversion engine to create a transcript of Parliament proceedings in real-time.

Ø  Automatic indexing and tagging of audio-video files is also being explored for better searchability. The video tagging would enable a user to search (with timestamp) a video based on any specific word or phrase that appears in the video, according to the note.

Ø  An interactive mobile application is in the works as well. MPs will be able to access confidential files, schedule meetings, check Parliament schedules, legislative bills, and even newspapers on the application.

Ø  Birla has asked for a virtual tour of the old and new Parliament building for common people, with additional interactive features such as quizzes, photo filters, and the option to wish your MP on his/her birthday.

Ø  Overtime, the application is also slated to cover legislative assemblies.

Ø  “Under this project, Digital Sansad App is poised to be a National Grid where the app will enable access not only to Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha but also to all state legislative assemblies in a phased manner,” the note said.

 

 

My Take :

 

Ø  LS Speaker Om Birla would like this ……………………………………[ 29 July 2022 ]

 

Extract :

There is only one solution to put a permanent end to this tamasha :

No more parliament session which is physical

All sessions to be “ virtual video sessions “ in which :

Members to participate online from their homes

Speaker has Admin Control, to turn off the video / audio of any rowdy / shouting

member or of a member who exceeds more than 3 minutes of speaking

To be able to " speak " , a member will need to fill in an Online Form on Sansad

Portal, requesting permission to speak, clearly selecting ( from appropriate drop

lists ),

- which session

- which subject / topic

 

Based on this, Speaker will confirm or deny permission ( this will get displayed on

the Portal )

Or the Speaker may email the concerned Member to just “ Record “ his / her

speech ( audio ) on the Sansad Portal , which ( assuming permission was granted ),

will get PODCAST at the allotted time-slot

Any citizen should be able to login , into any session as a Mute Spectator, by

entering his / her Aadhar ID

Next ?

Projecting entire Virtual Proceedings as a 3D volumetric Hologram on a Smart

phone, using technology developed by IKININC

https://ikininc.com/products/ryz-3d-hologram-technology/  

All of this “ Virtual Loksabha “ platform development could be done in less than 3

months and at a cost of less than Rs 50 crore

This is one time cost

Now consider the SAVINGS

Let us assume that , in a year Parliament meets for 100 days ( all sessions put together )

 Each session is for 8 hours

That translates into 800 work-hours / year

Recent press releases put the cost at Rs 1.5 crore / hour

Hence implementing my suggestion would save the country Rs 1,200 crore / year

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Related Readings :

 

 

Ø  Virtual Legislatures ? “ Not Quite There “ but “ Getting Close “ ……….[ 21 Aug 2022 ]

 

Extract :

Since my 29 July e-mail to Shri Om Birla, I felt the need to “ incentivize “ our legislators to stop travelling to Delhi and, instead adopt WFH ( Work From Home )

I suggest that for each day of Legislature Session attended ONLINE from home, members are given following additional reimbursements ( of course, tax-free ) :

                Ø  WFH reimbursement …………………………. Rs 5,000 / day

                Ø  Study-room Refurbishment …………………Rs 5,000 / day

                                                      A total of Rs 10,000 / day

 

Let us say , we have a combined strength of 800 ( 540 in LS + 260 in RS ) members

Hence these reimbursements will add up to : Rs 10,000 x 800 = 8,000,000 ( Rs 80 lakhs / day )

For a total of 100 days ( of all sessions ) in a year, this would cost the Govt ., Rs 8,000 Lakhs / year ( Rs 80 crore )

This is still a pea-nut amount , considering an annual saving of Rs 1200 Crore !

 

Dance of Democracy ?....................... ………..[ 30 Dec 2017 ]

Candidates / Spouses / Kids : Assets ?........  [ 16 Feb 2018 ]

Artificial Intelligence to fix MP / MLA Salary ? [ 22 Feb 2018 ]

People’s Pulse ? People’s Confusion ?........... [ 12 July 2018 ]

Citizen’s Charter of Demand ………………………….[ 29 Oct 2018 ]

VotersWill ……………………………………………………….[ 03 Nov 2018 ]

 

 =============================================

Virtual Parliament : a COVID bye-product ? ………………[ 03 June 2020 ]

Extract :

             Ø  Online broadcast of Virtual Session through a Mobile App ( LokRaj ?  )

            Ø  Receive Questions / Answers / Notices , online ( as being done already )

            Ø  Decide ( and control ),  WHO will speak , WHEN and for HOW LONG .

           Ø  Display these “ Speaking Schedules “ on the Mobile App with a provision

               for the viewers to cast their “ Ratings “ online / instantly , as each speaker

               delivers his / her speech

                Dynamically display “ No of Raters “ and “ Rating Score ( 1 to 5 ) “ . 

               Such an “ Instant Feedback “ will dramatically improve , not only the

               behavior of each Member of Parliament, but also improve the “ Relevance “

               of his talk !

            

          Ø  Turn-off the member’s mike if he refuses to stop or starts shouting / abusing

          Ø  No question of anyone speaking “ out of turn “ or rushing to the well of the house !

          Ø  Bar unruly members from attending a VIRTUAL SESSION

          Ø  Display ( as in case of Augmented Reality – AR ), following record of an MP as he is speaking :

         

                    #   Attendance percentage  /  Punctuality

                    #   No of questions asked

                    #   Number of minutes spoken during the session

 

         Ø  Just before the voting starts on any Bill , enable the Members of Parliament

             to receive “ Instructions  “ ( really , feedback from citizen who voted for him /

             her ), as to how voters want him to vote ( “for “ or “against “ the bill  as outlined at :

                  VotersWill  ………………………………….[  03  Nov  2018  ]

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WiHemen Parekh

hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  08  Oct  2022