24-hour hotline for MPs helps collecting research material

Subject : Schemes

Concept :

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who was elected to the post in his second term as MP, set up a 24-hour research reference telephone hotline for Members of Parliament, as well as a reference section for legislations.
According to officials, the Parliamentary Research and Information Support for Members of Parliament (PRISM) is a round the clock service and also available on weekends during Parliament Sessions.
A team of 30-32 officers serve on the hotline on a rotational basis.
Between 2019 and 2023, 87% of MPs have used either online or offline reference services, which are also shared through WhatsApp and email if required.
The largest number of enquiries were about the Billslike the Juvenile Justice Bill, Wildlife Protection Bill and short duration discussions on climate change, drug abuse and price rise.
In total, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members got help with offline references about 17,493 times, and online references numbered 3,393.