India pitches for improving people's lives in S Asia region

India today made a strong pitch for using South Asia's geographical and economic complementarities to improve people's lives in the region and batted for strengthening the oversight and legislative functions of Parliaments to achieve this.
The South Asia region - one of the most populous regions in the world - has "immense potential for growth and development while it has to face many challenges in realising our goals", Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said at the opening session of the South Asian Speakers' Summit on 'Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals' here.
Observing that the agenda of the Summit is a unique opportunity for the international community to "redouble its commitment for ending poverty and hunger" and to set the world on a path for sustainable and inclusive development, she said that larger goals of sustainable development are intertwined with issues of regional connectivity and regional cooperation.

South Asia has not only a shared history but also a shared cultural legacy, she said, adding that "as such, South Asia's geographical and economic complementarities can be used to improve the lives of peoples in entire region."
Mahajan also said that Parliaments, being representative institutions, have to play a key role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
"The oversight and legislative functions of Parliaments need to be strengthened by focussing more on the Sustainable Development Goals, and by associating all stakeholders with the government-led development processes," she said.

The Speaker noted that it is the duty of Parliamentarians and Speakers of the National Parliaments to turn these challenges into opportunities for our peoples and also for the entire region.

Mahajan said India's stance that a universal agenda ought to be a differentiated one based on the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) has finally been endorsed by UN World Sustainable Development Summit in its outcome document.
"While India is determined about its commitment to promote sustainable development for its people and do its fair share for global sustainability, it is equally important to ensure sustained and greater international flow of financial and latest technological resources to the developing countries," she said.
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"Accordingly, since Independence, India has followed a path of sustainable growth. From the very beginning, we have pursued the dream of eliminating poverty and we stand vindicated that the same has now been highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals as the SDGs commits to 'End Poverty in all its Forms Everywhere'.

"Similarly, the issues of food security, health, quality education, gender equality have always remained high on the developmental agenda of India," Mahajan said.
The Speaker also referred to some of the recent schemes launched India for promoting inclusion and social advancement.