PRIDE Trains Over 100 Andhra Pradesh Legislature Staff in Parliamentary Procedures

More than 100 officials and staff members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat participated in a three-day parliamentary capacity-building programme in Amaravati, reflecting a broader push to strengthen legislative professionalism and modern governance practices in state institutions.

The programme, conducted from May 19 to 21 at the Legislature Complex, was organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) under the Lok Sabha Secretariat in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat. The initiative was held under the guidance of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and focused on improving institutional efficiency, legislative administration and policy awareness among Assembly staff.

Inaugurating the programme, Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretary-General Suryadevara Prasanna Kumar emphasised the importance of continuous professional development within legislative institutions. He said specialised and structured training was essential for newly recruited officials to adapt to evolving parliamentary practices and governance standards.

Senior officers from the Lok Sabha Secretariat conducted technical sessions on a wide range of subjects, including parliamentary procedures , legislative drafting , parliamentary questions , privileges , committee systems , financial oversight mechanisms , media relations and official noting and drafting.

A major focus of the programme was on Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) and financial committees, which play a critical role in examining government expenditure, reviewing legislation and ensuring executive accountability. Participants were given practical exposure to parliamentary systems followed in both Parliament and state legislatures, helping them better understand legislative scrutiny and administrative coordination.

PRIDE Director P K Mallick said the institute has been conducting structured training programmes for Parliament and state legislatures since 1976. Over the decades, PRIDE has organised orientation sessions, refresher courses, seminars, workshops and policy-focused conferences for legislators and legislative staff across the country.

Officials familiar with the initiative said such programmes are conducted periodically throughout the year, particularly during induction phases and before legislative sessions. Beyond procedural training, PRIDE-linked initiatives increasingly expose participants to emerging governance themes such as digital governance , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity, public accountability and technology-driven administration.

The Amaravati programme is being seen as part of a wider effort to modernise legislative institutions and improve policy capacity within state governance systems.