Tashkent [Uzbekistan], April 6 (ANI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday highlighted the inclusive and welfarist nature of the Constitution of India, mentioning that 'the spirit of the Indian Constitution is to treat all citizens equally, provide them with equal opportunities, and integrate the marginalized and backward sections of society into the 'mainstream of progress.'

Delivering the Keynote address on 'Parliamentary Action for Social Development and Justice' at the historic 150th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Birla observed that 'In recent years, the Indian Parliament has passed several legislations that promote social justice and security and encourage the inclusion of all sections of society.'

Referring to the Parliament's perennial concern for safeguarding the interests of the vulnerable segments of society, he added that 'Bills like the 'Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act-2016', the 'Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019', and the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam-2023' safeguard the interests of all sections of society.' In this context, he also referred to new Labor laws and codes passed by Parliament for the welfare and social security of workers in the unorganized sector.

Stressing that Indian Parliament has taken several measures prioritising justice and rule of law, Birla mentioned that 'By replacing the 'Indian Penal Code' with the 'Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita', India has established the primacy of justice'.

Referring to functioning of Parliamentary Committees in achieving the goals of development and social justice, Birla noted that the various Parliamentary Committees, often referred to as Mini Parliaments, perform a complimentary function to the efforts of Parliament and the government.

He highlighted that the Committees on Social Justice and Empowerment; Committee on Women Empowerment; Committee on Labour and Skill Development, and other diverse committees monitor welfare programmes leading to implementation of schemes with effectiveness and accountability.

Birla stressed that Government of India works with a mission to achieve targets set for key human development indicators.

In this regard, he specifically mentioned that 'Under the world's largest health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), free health insurance is being provided to the bottom 40 per cent of India's population'.

Praising the strong and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Birla said 'Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India has achieved the distinction of being the world's fastest-growing major economy with a 105 per cent GDP growth over the past decade and is rapidly progressing towards its goal of Viksit Bharat in 2047.'

Noting that India is the fifth-largest economy in the world and is on its way toward becoming the third-largest economy, Birla said that India is playing a leading role in the world in fields like Innovation, AI, Startups, Space and Defense Technology, IT, Fintech, Pharma and others.

He hoped that the discussions at the IPU Assembly would provide all delegations with new perspectives and will allow Parliaments around the world to be able to take concrete steps toward building a just, inclusive, and prosperous society.

Speaking on the role of IPU in the present world order, Birla mentioned that the IPU continues to add new dimensions to global parliamentary cooperation. He underlined that the theme chosen for the 150th IPU Assembly reflects the expansion of the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,' which is deeply rooted in Indian culture, tradition, and philosophy.

On the sidelines of the 150th IPU Summit, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Tran Thanh Man, President, the National Assembly of Vietnam.

Speaking on the occasion, Birla fondly recalled his visit to Vietnam in April 2022, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Vietnam.

He also emphasized the close cultural and historical ties between the two countries, which have strengthened through high-level discussions in recent years.

Birla expressed satisfaction that both countries are progressing toward sustainable development, driven by their respective visions for 2047 (India) and 2045 (Vietnam).

Birla emphasized that cooperation in various sectors such as defense, technology, infrastructure, and nuclear energy has helped shape their future frameworks.

Birla noted that both countries' parliamentary institutions play a key role in meeting people's expectations and promoting public welfare, with India utilizing emerging technologies to enhance parliamentary processes and citizen participation.

He also informed that the 'Digital Parliament' initiative in India has improved efficiency, transparency, and productivity in parliamentary operations. He also highlighted the significant number of Vietnamese students benefiting from educational and training scholarships in India.

President of the National Assembly of Vietnam extended best wishes on Ram Navami.

He also emphasized the cultural ties between the two countries. The President also underlined the need for strengthening the close defence and technology ties between India and Vietnam.

He extended an invitation to Birla to visit Vietnam. Formation of friendship group between India and Vietnam were also discussed. (ANI)