**Executive Summary**
The Lok Sabha Speaker inaugurated the inaugural Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone VII Conference in Panaji, Goa, held on April 9 and 10, 2026. The conference serves to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation between Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat, focusing on governance and regional development. Key objectives include leveraging technology for public welfare and empowering young lawmakers to achieve the "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Legislative Conduct and Governance**
* Lawmakers are urged to rise above personal and political interests to prioritize integrity and public welfare.
* Elected representatives must translate public expectations into transparent, inclusive, and responsive governance.
* Frequent and thoughtful participation in legislative discussions is highlighted as essential for effective leadership.
**Strategic Regional Cooperation**
* The newly created Zone VII (Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat) aims to turn unique regional challenges into opportunities through collective effort.
* States are encouraged to share best practices, particularly in advancing coastal development, trade, tourism corridors, and urban infrastructure.
* The Goa government has expanded over 240 citizen services across 40 departments to improve service delivery.
**Role of Youth and Innovation**
* Young lawmakers are identified as "Yuva Shakti," acting as bridges between generations and driving innovative policies.
* Legislators are encouraged to harness the transformative power of science, technology, and artificial intelligence to address citizen issues.
* Human sensitivity and empathy remain essential components when utilizing advanced technological tools for governance.
**Democratic Strengthening**
* Healthy competition among state legislatures is promoted as a means to improve public welfare.
* Increasing voter turnout in India since 1952 is cited as a primary indicator of a successful and vibrant parliamentary democracy.
**Impact Analysis**
**Lawmakers and Elected Representatives**
**Impact:** They are tasked with higher standards of diligence and the responsibility to modernize their approach to governance using technology.
**Action Required:** They must familiarize themselves with legislative processes, engage more closely with the public, and resolve concerns with empathy.
**State Governments (Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat)**
**Impact:** These states are now part of a collaborative framework (Zone VII) intended to boost regional economic and infrastructure development.
**Action Required:** State administrations must work together to create tourism corridors, manage coastal areas, and adopt shared best practices for growth.
**Young Legislators**
**Impact:** As a pillar of "Viksit Bharat," they are positioned as leaders of innovation and protectors of democratic trust.
**Action Required:** They must drive creative policy solutions and guide young citizens toward active participation in the democratic process.
Key Entities Referenced
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region, Zone-VII: The newly created western zone of the CPA India Region comprising Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat, established to foster inter-parliamentary cooperation and good governance.
Viksit Bharat by 2047: The primary national vision and policy goal aimed at transforming India into a developed nation by the centenary of its independence.
Shri Om Birla: Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the primary authority who inaugurated the conference and defined the role of lawmakers in strengthening democratic institutions.
Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat: The specific cluster of western Indian states constituting Zone VII, intended to collaborate on trade, tourism corridors, and coastal management.
Yuva Shakti: Identified as one of the four strategic pillars of the Viksit Bharat vision, emphasizing the role of youth and young legislators in driving innovation and democracy.
Lok Sabha Secretariat
Lok Sabha Speaker inaugurates first CPA India
Region Zone VII Conference in Goa
Lok Sabha Speaker urges lawmakers to rise above politics
and serve people with integrity
Young lawmakers have a crucial responsibility in achieving
the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047: Lok Sabha Speaker
Lok Sabha Speaker calls for healthy competition among state
legislatures in promoting public welfare and good
governance
Posted On: 09 APR 2026 6:17PM by PIB Mumbai
Panaji, Goa : 9 April 2026
Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla today urged lawmakers to rise above personal and political interests,
emphasizing the importance of diligence and integrity in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people
they represent. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association (CPA), India Region, Zone-VII (West Zone) Conference at Panaji, Goa.
Inaugurating the conference which is being held on 9th and 10th of April, the Lok Sabha Speaker said that
elected representatives are entrusted with the mandate to translate public expectations into concrete
actions, strengthen democratic institutions, and ensure governance that is transparent, inclusive, and
responsive. Upholding citizens’ trust requires vision, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to public
welfare, he said.
Talking about the roles and responsibilities of young lawmakers in realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat by
2047, Shri Birla said that, as emerging leaders, they are entrusted with driving innovative policies,
promoting inclusive development, and strengthening democratic institutions. Emphasizing the importance
of healthy competition among state legislatures in promoting public welfare and good governance, he said
that parliamentary democracy is globally recognized as the best system of governance. The steady
increase in voter turnout in every election in India since 1952 reflects the country’s enduring success as a
vibrant democracy, he said.
Emphasizing the importance of research, innovation, and technology, Shri Birla underlined that people’s
representatives must be adept at addressing citizens’ issues by harnessing the transformative power of
science and technology. He noted that in an era of advanced tools like artificial intelligence, humansensitivity remains equally essential. He also urged legislators to engage closely with the public, resolving
their concerns with empathy and goodwill.
Those who actively participate in thoughtful discussions on policies and laws often emerge as prominent
leaders in their states. The more legislators familiarize themselves with legislative processes, the greater
and more effective their participation will be in the House, he said.
Speaking about the newly created Zone VII of the CPA India Region, which includes Maharashtra, Goa,
and Gujarat, Shri Birla said that while each state faces unique challenges, their spirit of public cooperation
and collective effort has turned these challenges into opportunities for growth. He added that all states can
benefit by sharing and adopting best practices from one another, especially in advancing coastal
development.
Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, said that the States of Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat must
work together to boost trade, tourism corridors, urban infrastructure and coastal management. The Chief
Minister informed the delegates about the expansion of over 240 citizen services across the 40
departments.
Highlighting the vision of “Viksit Bharat” the Chief Minister said that India is on a historic journey
towards the Viksit Bharat 2047 and for achieving this vision, the country needs the energy, creativity and
dedication of the entire nation especially the youths.
“The Prime Minister has emphasized on Yuva Shakti as one of the four pillars of a Vikasit Bharat,
alongside Nari Shakti, Kisan Shakti and the commitment to Garib Kalyan. The young legislators are in a
unique position to be bridges between generations, guiding older colleagues with new solutions and
guiding the young citizens to trust and participate in democracy,” he said.
Shri Harivansh, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha; Shri Ram Shinde, Maharashtra Legislative Council
Chairperson; and Shri Rahul Narvekar, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker, also addressed the
gathering on the occasion. Dr. Ganesh Gaonkar, Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker, welcomed the
gathering while Shri Joshua D’Souza, Goa Legislative Assembly Deputy Chairman, delivered the vote of
thanks.
The two-day conference is bringing together senior parliamentary leaders from across the western India
for discussions on key governance and development priorities, with a focus on strengthening inter-
parliamentary cooperation and promoting meaningful dialogue on regional and national issues.Lok Sabha-PR| PIB Panaji/ Riyas Babu/ Priti Malandkar
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Read this release in: Marathi