Why in News?

• The union govt. has inaugurated the Online Assurances Monitoring System (OAMS), developed by the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MPA).

Online Assurances Monitoring System:

• This system has made the information regarding assurances given on the floor of the Houses of Parliament paper less
• It is available in digital format.
• All assurances being culled out by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs through e-Office would be reflected on this system and various Ministries/Departments, Lok Sabha Secretariat and Rajya Sabha Secretariat would communicate for all purposes through this system.
• This would encompass various actions related to Parliamentary Assurances including sending implementation reports, request for dropping, request for extension and decision thereon. Here after, physical communication would not be accepted.

Imbibing Accountability:

• With OAMS, all assurances being taken out by the Ministry through e-Office would be reflected on this system and various Ministries/Departments. This would encompass various actions related to Parliamentary Assurances including sending implementation reports, request for dropping, request for extension and decision thereon.
• Hereafter, physical communication would not be accepted.

Why need online monitoring of Assurances?

• A number of problems arise in the process of fulfilment of assurances due to human factors and non-compliance of guidelines, making the process less transparent. Hence, the need arose for an online assurance monitoring system to track the exact status of pending assurances and expedite their fulfilment.
• Since 2007, a total of 26,830 assurances given by the Ministers on the floor of the Houses were culled out by the MPA. Out of these 21,439 assurances have been fulfilled and 1,903 have been dropped, leaving a total of 3,488 assurances still pending for compliance.