OM BIRLA CHAIRS PLENARY SESSION OF THE 10TH CPA INDIA REGION CONFERENCE
ANDALIB AKHTER / NEW DELHI
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today said that India’s constitution was the strongest example of the spirit of inclusive governance which inspires and guides to move forward taking everyone along on the path of development. Stating that India’s future lies in building a system per hopes and aspirations of the people.
Mr Birla was chairing the Plenary Session of the 10th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference at Parliament premises.
Birla noted that India could emerge as a model democratic nation through inclusive engagement and creation of a responsible system within the rapidly changing world. Emphasising that the role of legislative institutions is most important in achieving the goal of sustainable development and inclusive governance, Lok Sabha Speaker observed that democratic institutions, by ensuring accountability and transparency of the Executive, make the governance more responsible and efficient. It is the responsibility of public representatives and legislative bodies to come up with solutions to the challenges and obstacles on the path of inclusive development.
The theme of the Plenary Session was, “The Role of Legislative Bodies in Attainment of Sustainable and Inclusive Development”.
Mr Birla emphasized the use of technology to improve the efficiency and functioning of legislatures. He urged that legislative bodies should discuss various platforms and shape welfare schemes for the welfare of the last person of society through technology. He further added that in the current context, when technology and means of communication have become a part of people’s daily lives, public representatives should find ways and means to meet the increasing aspirations and expectations of the people from democracy through legislative institutions.
Stressing that India’s vision of inclusive development encompasses various aspects of development including good governance, social progress, economic development, and environmental sustainability, Shri Birla observed that the historic legislations passed by the Parliament of India have enhanced the pace of development in India and they have made India’s progress more inclusive, reaching to the last person in the row. Building a self-reliant and developed India will not be possible without cooperation and support of legislative institutions, noted Birla.
The legislature will be able to smoothly discharge the functions and duties necessary for sustainable and inclusive development where equal opportunities are available to all, all sections of the society have equal access to such opportunities and even the most vulnerable and deprived sections of the society are included in the journey of development. Shri Birla urged the Presiding Officers and legislators to reflect on the extent to which they had succeeded in fulfilling the expectations and aspirations of the people as the legislative body of the country in the journey of the last 7 decades. Without this introspection, the dream of inclusive development cannot be realized, he added.
Recalling that during the P-20 Summit, the Presiding Officers had emphasized the need to ensure a strength, sustainability, balance and inclusive development of nations and the role of legislatures in this process, Birla opined that such a global order can be possible only when the necessary policies are made for this, there is a wide discussion on such policies by the public representatives, and their implementation is done through good governance. India with the philosophy of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ has always been an advocate of this global order, noted Shri Birla.
Expressing hope that this Conference would give a new vision and direction to the Presiding Officers, he urged the participants to collectively work on the resolutions of sustainable development and inclusive welfare to success.
Earlier during the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla chaired the Executive Committee meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region in Parliament House. In the meeting, Birla emphasized on enhanced public participation in the democratic system. He suggested that Legislative Bodies must engage with Grass roots level bodies, especially the Panchayati Raj Institutions and by doing so, they would be discharging their responsibilities of fulfilling needs and aspirations of people more effectively. The Executive Committee held wide ranging discussions on agenda items.
Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh and Presiding Officers of State Legislative Bodies of India participated in the Session.