LS Speaker Sumitra Mahajan plans MPs training

New Delhi: In an initiative aimed at making parliamentarians ‘better informed’ to ‘raise the level of debate’ in the House, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has started work on setting up a ‘support group’ comprising experts, advisers and researchers who can explain burning issues and concepts to the MPs in a simple manner.

“I am looking at having a support system…or rather a supporting institution for MPs,” Mahajan said.

“Sometimes MPs don’t get that much time (to prepare for debates). They have to look after their big constituencies and have no time. Often they don’t understand a subject. Or they have ideas but don’t know how to go about expressing them,” Mahajan explained.

“So there are so many persons, experts working with ministries, advisers, research scholars, so many of them are working with UN. They can be useful to MPs if the MPs want any help on any topics,” she added, outlining the plan.

“Say, some MPs want to discuss a topic or want some notes, then two-three experts can come and have a discussion…not a lecture, but a discussion,” Mahajan said, adding that experts from various sectors could be called from across the country to offer knowledge and insight to the MPs.

She said that there had been instances where some MPs told her that though they were keen to participate in discussions, they often felt hamstrung by technicalities of the subject or their lack of complete understanding.

“A young MP told me that though he was keen to participate in the discussion on the CST Bill, he didn’t because he felt he couldn’t properly prepare for it,” Mahajan said.

Similarly, an issue like agrarian crisis, she said, could be much better debated if the MPs are well-versed with the finer details of the subject.

Mahajan recently floated the idea before two sets of young MPs whom she hosted for dinners.

“Experts can elaborate on so many aspects of an issue. Different experts can give different views. I even told the MPs that after such an interaction, you can add your politics in that but at least the basics would be clear,” she said.