Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday asserted that the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) is a comprehensive national resolve that demands active cooperation from every citizen and institution across the country. Speaking in Chandigarh, Birla emphasized that to translate this vision into reality, national policies, welfare programs, and budgetary provisions must directly uplift the final individual in the socio-economic hierarchy, thereby accelerating positive social transformation and fortifying core ethical values.
The Speaker made these remarks while inaugurating the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region, Zone-II (North Zone) Conference at the Haryana Legislative Assembly Chamber. The high-profile event was attended by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, and state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mahipal Dhanda, alongside various state ministers and legislators.
Terming the current decade of the 21st century as highly critical, Birla noted that while the global landscape faces geopolitical tensions and transitions, India continues to advance steadily on the back of long-term strategic planning, stable governance, and a resilient legal framework. He stated that by meticulously studying global advancements, India has implemented pragmatic socio-economic reforms tailored to its domestic conditions, causing the international community to view the nation with renewed optimism and immense expectations.
Birla called for the creation of a massive public movement (Jan Andolan) where every citizen feels valued as a stakeholder in nation-building, expressing confidence that robust public participation—especially driven by the country’s youth demographic—could help achieve the developed nation status well before the target year of 2047. He suggested that legislation formulated within state assemblies must closely align with the modern aspirations and technical needs of the newer generation, transforming the historical challenge of a large population into a primary economic strength through targeted skill development and innovation.
Highlighting the essence of parliamentary democracy, the Speaker underscored that regular public dialogue and meaningful legislative debates must reassure citizens that democratic houses truly reflect their voices. He added that transparent, predictable, and robust legal frameworks naturally attract investment, placing a significant responsibility on legislators to maintain policy continuity. The two-day conference, focusing heavily on the collective responsibility of public representatives in countering future challenges, witnessed the participation of presiding officers from twelve state legislatures, including member states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Jammu-Kashmir, alongside representatives from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, and West Bengal. Prior to the inaugural session, Birla also unveiled the newly established Parliamentary Research and Information Centre (PRIC) at the assembly building and subsequently held a courtesy meeting with Haryana Governor Prof. Asim Kumar Ghosh at the Raj Bhavan.
