Assembly speakers of northeastern states to meet on May 30

The three-day conference of North East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) comprising speakers and deputy speakers of eight northeastern states would commence here on May 30.

"The summit would strengthen parliamentary democracy and facilitate a dialogue between the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and legislative bodies of northeast," Tripura assembly Speaker Ramendra Chandra Debnath told reporters here on Tuesday.

He said Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan would inaugurate the conference, which will be attended by Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and senior AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, and Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra.

Meghalaya assembly Speaker Abu Taher Mondal, who is the chairman of the NERCPA, and speakers, deputy speakers of all eight northeastern states, some parliamentarians, the Tripura chief minister, governor and parliamentary affairs minister, would also participate in the conference.

Tripura assembly Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar said that besides discussion on strengthening parliamentary democracy, soil erosion in northeastern region, a burning issue here, would also be discussed.

"Impact of soil erosion on the local populace and how political intervention could check this problem would be highlighted by the experts," Kar added.

Speaker Debnath said that the four-day 78th edition of the annual All India Presiding Officers' Conference, held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, decided that the assembly sessions of big states must be held for 100 days in a year while in small states, including eight northeastern states, the session must be held at least for 60 days.

However, on an average 20 to 25 days' sessions are being held in most of the assemblies in northeastern states.

"We have no huge business, matters and issues to be discussed in the assembly in a larger number of days," Debanth added.

--IANS

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