Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday addressed a special session of the Goa legislative Assembly on “Viksit Bharat 2047: Role of Public Representatives” and recalled the contribution of legislative institutions in India’s development in several vital sectors.

On the occasion, Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant, Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Ramesh Tawadkar, Ministers of Government of Goa and Members of the Legislative Assembly were present.

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The Lok Sabha speaker said that India has achieved many milestones in its democratic journey of 75 years. The nation has made huge leaps in fields like education, health, infrastructure, etc which has had a direct impact on the lives of the people.

Birla said it is the responsibility of legislative bodies, from Panchayats to Parliament, to effectively convey issues of public interest to the executive. He said it is necessary that there should be a high level of discussion and dialogue in the legislatures and their proceedings should be conducted with decorum upholding the dignity of the House.

Expressing the view that there are enough avenues to express dissent in a parliamentary democracy, Speaker Birla said that if dissent is expressed in a dignified manner inside the House, it adds to the prestige of the nation and democracy.

He suggested that public representatives must voice the hopes and aspirations of the people adequately in the House to ensure that their problems are addressed effectively. He added that proper conduct inside the House adds to the prestige of the House.

Referring to proper participation of legislators in the process of law-making, Birla said that there should be a comprehensive debate and discussion on the legal proposals brought by the government. The aim in this discussion should be to assess the effect laws have on the lives of common people. He stressed on the idea that wider the discussion on the laws, the more effective the laws eventually become.

Birla said that in the present times, people have higher hopes and aspirations from the Legislature. Simultaneously, the needs of the public have increased even more.  For this, it is necessary to set priorities right and try to fulfill them.

He invited attention to the fact that there is an increasing demand from the public that their aspirations are fulfilled through the House, and their issues are resolved. Birla said that as public representatives, “it is our moral responsibility to continuously work for the socio-economic development of the people, and try to fulfill their needs.”