DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday said the world is undergoing unprecedented transformation and that democratic institutions must continuously evolve to effectively address the challenges of the future.

He was speaking at the second Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-II Conference here, which was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

The inaugural session saw the participation of presiding officers from the legislatures of 12 states. Apart from the presiding officers of the CPA Zone-II member states -- Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi -- the presiding officers of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and West Bengal, among others, also participated.

The theme for the conference is 'Role of an Aware Society and Representatives of the People in Facing Future Challenges and Realizing the Goal of Viksit Bharat-“2047'.

Speaking on the occasion, Birla emphasised that for the resolve of a 'Viksit Bharat', our approach in policies, schemes, programmes and budget provisions should focus on transforming the life of the last person in society.

Saini, too, addressed the inaugural session of the three-day conference being hosted by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha and said, "The world is undergoing unprecedented transformation, and democratic institutions must continuously evolve to effectively address the challenges of the future."

Calling upon participants to think beyond present-day concerns, he urged them to deliberate also on emerging challenges that will shape the future.

The chief minister noted that artificial intelligence, data security, cybercrime, water security, biodiversity conservation and the growing influence of social media are no longer subjects confined to expert discussions. "They have become integral components of legislative discourse and public policymaking," he said, adding that the legislators who understand this will be better equipped to guide society tomorrow. The success of democracy, he said, is ultimately measured by the positive impact it creates in the lives of citizens. "When society is aware, policies become more effective; when legislators are visionary, development becomes sustainable; and when both work together, nations achieve extraordinary progress," Saini said.

(editor@dailyworld.in)