Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan talked about inclusive economic growth, saying that any development done at the cost of our culture cannot be eternal.
“Integral humanism is the basis for development as it espouses indigenous economic model that puts the human being at the centre stage,” Mahajan said while quoting BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay.
She was speaking while inaugurating the two-day South Asian Speakers Summit at Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.
The speakers at the summit discussed achieving sustainable goals, including poverty, development, environment and gender concerns in South Asia, the home to over 25 per cent of the world population.
“Our past tells us how civilisational strengths may steer us through the contemporary challenges,” Mahajan said, adding, “I strongly feel that development at the cost of our culture is not sustainable.” She also batted for ensuring effective delivery of schemes which target people at the bottom of the socio-economic strata and said they go a long way in eradicating poverty.
Mahajan said that India is expected to incur an expenditure of about $565 billion per annum in the next 15 years to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She said these goals lay emphasis on achieving a balance between the three pillars of economic growth, social development and environmental protection.
“I personally feel that this approach somehow was very much required in our contemporary growth and development strategy. This is very close to the philosophy of life that our region has espoused
for in last several centuries,” Mahajan said.
Stressing on the role of parliamentarians as the bridge between people and their government, the eight-time MP said, “As elected representatives, it is our duty to ensure that our respective governments take concrete measures for realising these sustainable development goals.”
President of Inter-Parliamentary Union Saber Chowdhury, M Thambidurai, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Speaker of National Assembly of Afghanistan Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi, Speaker of Bangladeshi
Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of National Assembly of Bhutan Jigme Zangpo, Speaker of Sri Lankan Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, Speaker of Parliament of Maldives Abdulla Maseeh Mohammad, Speaker of Parliament of Nepal Onasari Gharti have been participating in the summit on February 18-19.