Three-day capacity building programme for AP legislature officials held in Amaravati
Amaravati, May 21
The intensive three-day Capacity Building Programme for officers and staff of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat concluded today at the Legislature Complex in Amaravati.
According to a release, the specialised training, held from May 19 to May 21, was organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat, in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat.
The programme was held under the vision and guidance of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Backed by Lok Sabha Secretary-General Utpal Kumar Singh and AP Legislature Secretary-General Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, the PRIDE programme sets a new benchmark in institutional best practices.
This collaborative effort reflects a shared institutional commitment to strengthening democratic governance at the state level by aligning secretarial operations with the highest standards of parliamentary excellence.
Inaugurating the programme, Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, Secretary-General, Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat, underlined the vital role of continuous professional development. Drawing from his experience of more than two decades across the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, and Delhi Assembly Secretariat, Suryadevara emphasised that targeted training for newly recruited officials is essential to adopt India's best legislative practices.
He urged participants to internalise case studies, rules, and established frameworks from the Lok Sabha Secretariat to enable the Andhra Pradesh Legislature to perform its constitutional duties with greater efficiency and impact.
PK Mallick, Director, PRIDE, coordinated the programme and addressed participants on the 'Role of PRIDE in Capacity Building'. He elaborated on how PRIDE, established on January 1, 1976, as an integral part of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, actively assists state legislative secretariats across the country through structured institutional training, said the release.
Over three days, domain experts and senior officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and Director from the Lok Sabha Secretariat conducted intensive technical sessions. The specialised curriculum focused on upgrading officials' skills across critical pillars of legislative administration.
These included Core Parliamentary Procedure covering the legislative process, processing of Parliamentary Questions, and managing parliamentary privileges; Committee Systems focusing on the operational dynamics, scrutiny mechanisms, and budgetary processes of Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) and Financial Committees; Communicating Parliament, which dealt with strategic frameworks for modern media relations and public engagement to enhance transparency; and Secretariat Operations, covering advanced techniques in official noting, drafting, and utilising specific procedural devices for raising matters of public importance.
The successful conclusion of this three-day training marks a significant milestone in fostering legislative synergy, ensuring that secretariat officers and staff are equipped with the skills required to navigate modern governance challenges.
— ANI
Reader Comments
What a waste of taxpayer money! Three days of training for officials who already get fat salaries? Meanwhile, our villages don't have proper roads or drinking water. Instead of these PR stunts, why not send these officers to rural areas to understand ground realities? 😡
As someone who worked in state secretariat for 15 years, I can say such capacity building is long overdue. The gap between Lok Sabha standards and state assembly functioning is huge. But the key is follow-up - one training won't change decades of bureaucratic inertia. Need regular refreshers and accountability. 👍
Interesting that they focused on media relations and public engagement. In AP, the legislature's website is so outdated, you can't even find basic information about bills. Maybe next time they should also train officials on digital transparency? Just a thought! 📱💻
Proud to see PRIDE collaborating with state legislatures. Om Birla ji's vision for parliamentary excellence is commendable. But let's be honest - these trainings work only when there's continuity. In Andhra, we've seen too many transfers and reshuffles. The real challenge is retaining trained staff in their positions.
Finally some good governance news from Amaravati! With all the political drama in AP, at least the bureaucratic machinery is getting some serious attention. Hope this improves the quality of question hour and committee work. Every citizen deserves an efficient legislature! 🙏
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