No. 3 Monday, 12 March 2018 75 years of Independence, poverty, National Legislators Conference Concludes illiteracy and discrimination still pervade our society. He urged upon Legislators The National Legislators Conference conduct of business in the House. He to make “People’s programmes” came to a close yesterday with the also reminded the Legislators that it rather than “Government programmes” adoption of a Resolution to take forward is the nation which tends to lose when or “Political programmes”. In this the agenda of the Conference. The they don’t work. The Vice-President regard, participation of the people Valedictory Function was held in the also impressed upon the need to have in the development process has to be Central Hall of Parliament with the more sittings of the House. Shri Naidu encouraged. According to him since Hon’ble Vice-President and Chairman, observed that a consensus should be people are now demanding development, Rajya Sabha, Shri M. Venkaiah developed to provide for reservation of the Legislators should be focussed on Naidu; Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, seats for women in the Lok Sabha and that. In fact, people should be at the Smt. Sumitra Mahajan; and the Hon’ble the Legislative Assemblies. The focus core of development. In this regard, he Union Minister of Finance and Corporate of the Legislator, he said, should be advocated the PPP model. Emphasising Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley on the dais. Dr. on ‘4Cs’-”Character, Calibre, Capacity the need for uplifting the suppressed Heena Gavit, MP was the moderator of and Conduct” and not on ‘3C’-”Caste, and the marginalised, Shri Naidu the Session. Community and Cash”. According to urged upon Legislators to focus on him Houses should function accepting permanent solutions and to create The Hon’ble Vice-President of India and the principle that the “Opposition must wealth. Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri Venkaiah have its say and the Government must Naidu, addressing the august gathering have its way”. Media, he refl ected Calling the Legislators to promote lauded the efforts of the Hon’ble should also act responsibly. national integration, the Hon’ble Vice- Speaker in bringing together Legislators President said that the Legislators need from across the country to discuss the Calling for an attitudinal change in to be driven by the thought that it issue of development. society, Shri Naidu expressed anguish should be “Nation fi rst, then Party and over the fact that even after nearly then Self”. Reminiscing what the senior BJP leader, Shri L.K. Advani ji had once said, “Ideal behaviour is more important than ideology”, he remarked, that it is important that Legislators regulate their behaviour and conduct themselves with dignity with their constituents, their fellow Legislators and with the general public. Drawing from his own personal experience, he said that self introspection is crucial for a Legislator. Stressing the importance of keeping one- self well-informed as a Legislator, the Hon’ble Vice-President underlined the importance of reading. He urged upon the Legislators to inculcate “simple living and high thinking” in their lives and to spend as much time as possible with the people. He impressed upon the members to be regular and punctual in the House and said that it was joint responsibility of both the government Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice-President of India addressing the and the opposition to ensure the smooth distinguished gathering during the Valedictory Session of the Conference In his address he also dwelt upon issues like climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Hon’ble Vice-President concluded his address complementing the Hon’ble Speaker and the Lok Sabha Secretariat for organising such a unique and fi rst of its kind National Conference of Legislators. Addressing the delegates, the Hon’ble Minister of Finance, and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley expressed gratitude to the Hon’ble Speaker and the Lok Sabha Secretariat for organizing the Conference, bringing together Legislators from across the country to discuss development and related issues. Mentioning that peer recognition, i.e. credibility in the eyes of fellow legislators leads to satisfaction which the Legislators can only have if they follow good conduct. Legislators may show aggression while dealing with subjects, but not in their conduct with their Shri Arun Jaitley, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, addressing the distinguished gathering during the Valedictory Session compatriots. Thus, Legislators need to concentrate on issues and not on people on cooperative federalism, the Union It also refl ects the sensitivity of the to ensure dignity and credibility of the Minister said that even the Constitution Legislators towards public welfare. She House. According to him for a Legislator, his/her credibility is paramount. makers had made a clear distinction further remarked that all the Sessions between the fi nancial powers of the were very interactive and interesting. Shri Arun Jaitley, sharing personal Centre and the States. Both the Centre The active participation of Legislators experiences, said that ‘overstatement is and the States should collectively has proven that the decision to organize never a virtue’ as it leads to the loss of pool the available resources for this Conference is correct. credibility. He urged upon the Legislators developmental efforts, which he said, Emphasising the role of people’s to access library and resources to would eventually benefi t the masses. understand subjects and issues and representatives in achieving the goals also to be brief and crisp while putting In her Concluding Remarks, the Hon’ble of development, she observed that good forth their opinions. He also advocated Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Sumitra governance and effective implementation the use of social media to ensure wider Mahajan said that the success of this of schemes ensuring social justice, coverage and connect with the people. Conference shows the dedication of are imperative for development. The He said that Legislators need to be aware the people’s representatives towards benefi ts of development must reach the government’s fi nancial policies, the good governance and development. every person. The issue of development contemporary issues impinging upon the Appreciating the active participation has been discussed in the past also but economy and of the general economic of the Delegates in the deliberations on the need is to sustain this discussion till conditions in the country. the agenda items, the Speaker observed the goal is achieved. Citing taxation as an example to put that their enthusiastic participation The Hon’ble Speaker further said that forth the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s views has made the discussion more fruitful. it is the responsibility of people’s representative to work for the welfare of the people including those who did not vote for them. The Legislators’ small but collective efforts can become the foundation of big developmental works connecting everyone from distant villages to the mainstream of development. According to her, it is important to make collective efforts while formulating the model of development and it is essential to continue the discussion on the issue at the zonal level within the country. She further said that the benefi t of sharing of many minor but important issues related to the constituency, at the district level has been recognised by the Legislators. In this regard, Hon’ble Speaker, talked about the highly successful cleanliness drive she had started in her own constituency, Indore. According to the Speaker, the challenge does not end with achieving certain levels of development or a particular objective; it is an even greater challenge to sustain the levels Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, giving the concluding achieved. remarks during the Valedictory Session Expressing her gratitude to the Hon’ble The South Zone consisted of delegates sensitization for nutritional campaign, Vice-President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, convergence of various schemes and Hon’ble Speaker said that everyone has Tamil Nadu, Telengana and Puducherry; departments for better delivery of benefi tted from his vast administrative the East Zone consisted of delegates from health services. Similarly, in the experience and knowledge. Thanking Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, education sector, the Report highlighted the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, how the delegates raised the issues such for attending the Valedictory Session Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim; the North as burden of syllabus on the students, despite his busy schedule, the Speaker, Zone consisted of delegates from Delhi, prevalence of several boards. said that the presence of the Finance Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Minister demonstrated the importance Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Presenting the report of the North of the event as he is the resource Pradesh; and the West Zone consisted Zone, Shri Pradeep Gandhi, former provider. Hon’ble Speaker also thanked of Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya MP recalled the various issues – health the Hon’ble Ministers, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. and nutrition, skill development, Shri Suresh Prabhu, Shri J.P. Nadda; Shri farmers’ welfare and education and the Prakash Javadekar, and Shri Narendra Smt. K. Geetha, MP, presented the presentations made by the NITI Aayog Singh Tomar; Deputy