Om Birla: Control room for information exchange between MPs, MLAs on COVID-19 soon

A control room will be set up in Parliament for exchange of information between MPs and MLAs for effective coordination in combating COVID-19, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Tuesday. The Speaker held a video-conferencing interaction with Presiding Officers from various legislatures across the country and State Assembly speakers.

"A control room will be set up in Parliament for exchange of information between MPs and MLAs for effective coordination in the fight against COVID-19. It will coordinate with all the Assemblies control rooms so that we can provide help to the governments to tackle the situation arising due to COVID-19," Birla told reporters in a press conference.

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Birla asked State Assemblies to set up a control room for real-time information exchange. During the video-conferencing interaction, he highlighted the role of State Governments and the Centre in its fight against COVID-19. "Governments are playing a role in ensuring proactive cooperation of people in arresting the spread of COVID-19 in the country," the Speaker said.

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Use of digital technology

According to an official statement, Om Birla informed the Presiding Officers that the four Committees of Presiding Officers constituted earlier to look into matters relating to disruptions in the House, the autonomy of legislatures, tenth schedule of the Constitution and Information Technology, and related matters — have made substantial progress in finalising their reports, and will submit them in due course.

"Birla also urged state Assemblies to explore the feasibility of extensive use of digital technology in legislative and financial work, and for other routine tasks such as meetings and file movements so as to make sure that stringent social distancing norms are followed in their respective states," the statement said.

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(With ANI inputs)