Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday said that the people of North East are vibrant, industrious, and full of potential adding that they deserve greater opportunities to realise their abilities.
Birla inaugurated the 22nd conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Zone III in Nagaland’s capital Kohima.
Speaking at the 22nd conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Zone III in Nagaland’s capital Kohima, Birla lauded the CPA Zone III comprising of Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Sikkim, for being one of the most active zones regularly convening deliberations on issues relating to development, public expectations, and aspirations.
He said the theme of the conference “Policy, Progress and People: The Legislature as a Catalyst for Change” is deeply connected to India’s democratic philosophy and the foundational values of democracy.
Lauding the legislative assemblies of the north eastern states for always taking collective decisions in a spirit of unity, the speaker urged them to continue to design strategies for enhancing accountability and transparency in governance, making effective use of new technologies and artificial intelligence which is also exhibited in most of the state assemblies in the region having going paperless.
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Birla maintained that wherever infrastructure development takes place, new avenues of progress naturally open, therefore, it is imperative that the state assemblies work towards policies that promote regional development and industrial growth.
“Policy decisions should encourage maximum industrial advancement in this region, while also providing a platform for local art, culture, and traditional crafts. This will help local products gain national and international recognition and lead to economic empowerment of the people,” he said, encouraging the state legislatures to constantly deliberate on ways to enhance developmental opportunities and frame policies that lead to inclusive and sustainable development.
Maintaining that meaningful discussions are the means through which a path of progress can be charted reflecting the people’s aspirations, he called upon the ongoing CPA Zone III conference to have in-depth deliberations on the significant theme so that a concrete roadmap will emerge to make the legislative institutions even more efficient and effective.
While praising the region for its cultural richness, diversity, and deep-rooted democratic values, Speaker Birla also attributed the host state Nagaland as “a land of valour, of vibrant festivals, of diverse art and culture, of rich traditions, and of breathtaking natural beauty”.
He acknowledged and expressed appreciation to Nagaland for hosting the first conference of CPA Zone III in 1997, and the third conference with this 22nd edition.
