AMN / GANGTOK
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla today inaugurated the 19th Annual Zone III Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region in Gangtok, Sikkim.
Delivering the inaugural address, Mr Birla said that the legislature, as a forum to solve people’s problems, must be the centre of unhindered debate sans disruption which will increase peoples’ faith in democratic institutions, thereby strengthening our democracy. He emphasized on discussion and dialogue, observing that it is the biggest strength of democracy.
Speaking on the economic potential of the northeastern states, Mr Birla said that there are huge possibilities in the field of tourism, renewable energy, organic farming and handicrafts. He also emphasised on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on the North East through projects under Gatishakti, Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region and multimodal connectivity, among others, which has transformed the vision of Look East to Act East.
Speaking on subjects of the Conference, Mr Birla said that cyber bullying is relevant today as it affects the youth, who are the future of the nation. He said that it is the responsibility of lawmakers and citizens to deliberate on the challenge and create awareness to address it.
He said, information technology should be used to improve efficiency in governance and improving lives of people but at the same time safeguards should be taken to protect institutions and people from its demerits.
Speaking on drug abuse, Mr Birla said that the issue is not only present in the North East region, but across the country. Referring to discussions on drug abuse in the Parliament in December 2022, Mr Birla said that after a detailed discussion, it emerged that members must conduct a comprehensive public awareness campaign across the country to educate the youth. He urged all to work with a collective spirit to end the growing problem of drug abuse and work towards a drug-free India. Speaking on making Parliament and legislatures more accessible to citizens, Mr Birla appreciated the active participation between legislatures and the public through the use of IT and social media. He called for greater participation of people in the law-making process and gathering feedback on laws, policies and schemes to strengthen good governance.
Mr Birla said that Zone III of the CPA India region is an important platform where legislators of the North Eastern region discuss many subjects and issues, and arrive at common solutions. He said that the joint effort of legislatures of the North Eastern Region has led to a huge change in the economic and social life of the region.
On the occasion Deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, appreciated the efforts of Presiding Officers in the region as this is the third such meeting of Presiding Officers in the north-east.
He highlighted that this conference assumes more importance as India is the host of the G20 summit and Sikkim is scheduled to host two of the meetings during the year-long event. The conference will be discussing three subjects i.e., making legislatures more accessible to the people, the problem of drug abuse, and cyberbullying. He said that in the age of fast-moving technology, legislatures can harness its benefits to be more transparent and engage with the citizens.
Sikkim chief minister PS Tamang, speaker of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Chairman of CPA India Region, Zone III, Pasang D. Sona also participated in the conference, among others. The conference will conclude on Friday.