Guwahati: Legislators in Assam will take lessons on how to study the state budget for the 2018-19 fiscal, which will go paperless for the first time.

Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will present the first digitised budget on March 12, which will be provided to the MLAs on touchscreen tablets.

"Since this is for the first time the budget will be submitted in multimedia device, a training programme has been organised for the legislators. The programme will impart knowledge on how to go through the budget using the device," Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said on Monday.

The training session will be held on February 23 at the Central Hall of the Assembly from 6pm.

The Speaker requested all legislators to attend the training so that they get accustomed with the process of using the device to analyse the budget.

"Since all MLAs might not be well conversant in using a tablet, the programme has been organised to familiarise them with its usage before the budget is tabled," a source said.

The source added that during discussion and cut motion on the budget, the legislators will be able to access the devices in the House.

A budget presentation usually has two components - the finance minister's speech and detailed department-wise break-up of allocation - which will be uploaded in the tablets.

The Rules Committee of the Assembly, headed by the Speaker, has already amended the rules to pave way for presenting of the first ever budget in electronic/digital format in the state.

Only a couple of states in the country, such as Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, have presented paperless budgets so far.