Kohima, Nov 8 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the 22nd Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region, Zone-III, in Nagaland’s capital Kohima on November 10, officials said on Saturday.

A senior official of the Nagaland Assembly said that Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, and Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly and Chairman of CPA India Region Zone-III, Sharingain Longkumer, will grace the inaugural function.

The two-day conference, scheduled for November 10–11, will witness participation from presiding officers, Members of Parliament, and Members of Legislative Assemblies from Zone-III of the CPA India Region, which comprises the eight northeastern states.

The official said that the theme of the conference is “Policy, Progress & People: Legislatures as Catalysts of Change”. The sub-themes are — Role of Legislatures in Achieving Viksit Bharat; and Climate Change – In the Light of Recent Cloudbursts and Landslides in Parts of the Northeast Region.

According to the official, the closing ceremony will be addressed by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, while the vote of thanks will be proposed by Thomas A. Sangma, Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly and Vice Chairman of CPA India Region Zone-III, and S. Toiho Yeptho, Deputy Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

A tree plantation drive will also be organized to commemorate the conference.

The official added that the CPA India Region Zone-III has played a crucial role in fostering regional cooperation, promoting parliamentary best practices, and addressing specific regional issues such as infrastructure development and the Act East Policy for the Northeast.

Key achievements of the Zone include the inclusion of the Northeast region in the India–ASEAN Vision for Trade and Cooperation, and calls for accelerating infrastructure projects, establishing enhanced trading outposts, and encouraging cultural exchanges.

The zone also focuses on improving parliamentary processes and making them more accessible and inclusive through the greater use of technology — including the implementation of the National eVidhan Application (NeVA), the digitalisation of legislative processes, and active public engagement, the official stated.

–IANS

sc/pgh