Chandigarh, June 9 (IANS) Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said on Tuesday that an aware society and legislators are crucial to addressing future challenges and achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047.

“If citizens provide democratic vigilance, legislators must provide democratic direction; if society generates aspirations, institutions must convert those aspirations into outcomes”, said Gupta at a Commonwealth parliamentary meet held at the Haryana Legislative Assembly.

Addressing the Plenary Session-II on the second day of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)-India Region Zone-II (North Zone) Conference, the Delhi Speaker shared his view on the theme “Role of Aware Society and Legislators in Realising Future Challenges and the Goal of Viksit Bharat 2047”.

Gupta reiterated that the ultimate success of Viksit Bharat 2047 rests on a simple, powerful synergy where a vigilant society participates responsibly and legislatures respond with unyielding integrity, vision, and foresight.

He noted that India is embarking on this landmark journey with immense confidence, propelled by its status as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.

He highlighted the nation’s transformative achievements in digital public infrastructure, renewable energy, space technology, and public service delivery.

Gupta lauded India’s ability to preserve the absolute sanctity and strength of its democratic institutions while navigating unprecedented social, economic, and technological transitions.

Looking ahead over the next two decades, the Speaker outlined critical challenges that demand proactive legislative foresight.

He warned that 21st-century legislatures must prepare to navigate the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, combat the severe impacts of climate change on agriculture and water resources, counter growing cybersecurity threats, and manage the mounting infrastructure pressures of rapid urbanisation, all while ensuring the youth population is skilled for a knowledge-driven economy.

Addressing these hurdles, Gupta identified an aware society as the first indispensable pillar of progress, asserting that democracy flourishes not merely through elections, but when citizens actively combat misinformation, promote social harmony, and remain deeply conscious of both their constitutional rights and duties.

Turning to the second pillar — the legislature — Gupta called for comprehensive institutional reform, stating that lawmaking bodies cannot solve future challenges using the tools of the past.

Highlighting modern advancements like the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), he shared insights from the Delhi Vidhan Sabha on how technological innovation can build citizen-centric, transparent, and future-ready lawmaking bodies.

He, however, cautioned that while digital tools and data must assist governance, they can never replace wisdom, human accountability, and the core deliberative spirit of parliamentary democracy.

Earlier, Gupta paid a courtesy visit to Haryana Governor Asim Kumar Ghosh at the Lok Bhavan in Chandigarh.

He presented Ghosh a copy of the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s special coffee table book, titled “Shatabdi Yatra” (The Centenary Journey), celebrating the rich history and democratic legacy of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha.

–IANS

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