Parliament Digital Library (PDL), hosted by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, provides archival information about various parliamentary documents at eparlib.india.nic.in. PDL aims to create one window for the information needs of the users on parliamentary documents of Lok Sabha. PDL is a beginning of a systematic expansion of Parliament Library's archival collection in digital form, both, quantitatively and qualitatively.

Need for Digitisation

Digitization offers advantages like easy accessibility and retrieval, protection of data authenticity, data security besides the possibility to save and store in multiple formats. Once data is digitized, processing of files is much easier and faster as compared to manual system. Furthermore, digitization enables access at multiple points at the same time, thus reducing delay in processing files. As more and more information is digitized, a special focus is required to archive and manage it efficiently and effectively so that it is available over longer periods of time and is not lost to posterity. Keeping digital resources usable in the long term requires conscious effort and continual investment.

Genesis

The Lok Sabha home page at loksabha.nic.in, developed, in 1996 provides information about various parliamentary activities from 1998 onwards. Realizing the reference value of all those parliamentary documents, which are not part of LS Home page but are available in Parliament Library in physical form, it was conceived in 2012 to digitize and provide online access of such archival and rich parliamentary repository.

Parliament Digital Library Initiative

On 11 July 2012, a one-man Committee, chaired by Shri S.S. Ahluwalia, was constituted to suggest ways and means to carry forward digitisation of parliamentary documents. The Ahluwalia Committee conducted 43 meetings with the officials of Parliament Library, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), National Informatics Centre (NIC) and concerned Ministries/ Institutions from 27 July 2012 to 28 February 2014. As a result, project contours, physical targets, timelines and financial implications were conceptualised, analysed and implemented.

With the support of CDAC for scanning/processing of documents and software support of NIC, the portal was created and developed by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. The website was announced opened by the then Hon’ble Speaker, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan on 11 December, 2018. In a short span of two and a half years, the PDL has had traffic of more than 18 lakh visitors.

Collections in PDL

(i) Lok Sabha Debates

This collection provides debate of each day’s sitting since 1stLok Sabha, that is, from 1952 onwards in: (i) Full Text (in English, Original and Hindi versions) ; and (ii) Debates by title/ member wise and (iii) Prime Minister Speeches

The full text of debate of a specific date/ session/ Lok Sabha, stored in pdf-A form is viewable, downloadable and printable. The specific debate date can be searched in “yyyy-mm-dd” format in the search box, for eg. “1952-05-13”

Debate by titles/ members collection allows users to explore/search through significant parameters prepared and fed for each title in a day’s proceedings covering question title, type (Starred, Starred-Supplementary, Unstarred, Short Notice Question and debate type (more than 70 types) including members participation.

Prime Minister Speeches

The Speeches of the Prime Ministers, delivered in the Lok Sabha are placed under this collection.

(ii) Historical Debates (1854 to 1952)
The journey of parliamentary institutions is a rich treasure of historical debates. Following have been digitised and uploaded.

1. a) Indian Legislative Council Debates (1854-1920)
2. b) Legislative Assembly Debates (1921-1947)
3. c) Council of State Debates (1921-1946 )
4. d) Constituent Assembly of India (Draft Making 1946-1950)
5. e) Assembly of India (Legislative) (1947-1949)
6. f) Provisional Parliament Debates (1950-1952)

(iii) Parliamentary Documents
One of the basic objectives of representative democracy is parliamentary control over the Executive. And, the two most significant occasions for review of administration are provided by discussion on Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address and the Budget. In addition, a close and continuous check on governmental activities is exercised through a comprehensive system of Parliamentary Committees. The Business Conducted by the House is briefly compiled, session wise, and placed in the Resume of Work Done. The brief record of proceedings of the House is prepared and published each day in the form of Bulletin-Part I.
Under this collection of Parliamentary Documents, following documents have been digitized:

1. a) Presidential Addresses
2. b) Budget Speeches
3. c) Parliamentary Committee Reports
4. d) Resume of Work Done by Lok Sabha
5. e) Lok Sabha Bulletin I

(iv) Publications
The Lok Sabha Secretariat brings out publications from time to time for the information needs of the Members of Parliament. Some of important publications have been identified and digitised under this collection.

1. a) Books
2. b) Information Bulletins
3. c) Periodicals

Best Practices

The proliferation of digital information has created the need for sound technologies, tools and standards for its archival and management. Best practices have been followed for uniformity in PDL File formats, file naming conventions, metadata preparation, metadata and pdf-A files submission, exporting of metadata and pdf-A files are strictly monitored and checked for the purpose of display and access.