Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurates mid-year executive committee meeting of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

April 9: Speaker Lok Sabha, Om Birla today inaugurated the mid-year executive committee meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in presence of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma at a solemn function held at Assam Legislative Assembly here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “In seven decade old Indian parliamentary democratic set up, today is indeed a historic day. It is for the first time that the Mid-Year Executive Committee Meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association isbeing held in India. I feel immensely proud that CPA Assam State Branch has got the historic opportunity to host this landmark event at the precinct of Assam Legislative Assembly which is one among the many public institutions that has an enduring influence in the lives of the people of the entire north-eastern region”.

Live from Assam Legislative Assembly https://t.co/oRrSAnSNDL

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 9, 2022

While welcoming the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla to the event, the Chief Minister extended his profound thankfulness to him for giving this state a rare opportunity to host this very significant event. This is indeed a proud moment for the people of Assam and in the legislative annals of Assam. He said that he felt immensely delighted to welcome 53 member countries covering all nine regions of CPA to the conference either physically or through virtual mode. While representatives from member countries including United kingdom, Ghana, Malaysia, Australia, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Tanzania, Barbados, Singapore and India have come all the way to Assam to take part in this event, representatives from rest of the countries have joined this event virtually. Assam is indeed proud and delighted to have the members in the state.

The Chief Minister also said, “At this momentous occasion, I am pleased to inform you that our State being the largest among eight Northeastern States of India is blessed with large variety of natural resources and very rich bio-diversity. Assam is home to the famous one horned rhino at Kaziranga and other National parks which have variety of wild lives. Our state is nurtured by one of the greatest rivers of the world, Brahmaputra. Assam Tea is famous throughout the world and there are around 850 tea gardens in our state. The petroleum industry in India started at Digboi in Assam and we have today four refineries and significant petroleum as well as natural gas reserves”.

“Moreover, in the democratic set up of our country, Assam Legislative Assembly, where this CPA meet is being held, is one of the oldest in India, second only to Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Prior to India’s independence, the whole of today’s Northeastern Region of India, barring the present states of Manipur and Tripura, which were then princely states, constituted the Assam Province, with Shillong as the capital. The Assam Legislative Assembly, which was initially a bicameral legislature comprising a Legislative Council and a Legislative Assembly came into being under the Government of India Act, 1935. The elected members of the Assembly first met on April 7, 1937. In 1972, the state capital was shifted from Shillong to Dispur and since then, the proceedings of the Assam Legislative Assembly have continued here”.

The Chief Minister also said that during the last eight decades, Assam Legislative Assembly has witnessed many historic debates with several towering personalities adorning this temple of democracy. Most notable amongst these luminaries was Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, who was the first Premier of Assam. With such a remarkable heritage and natural resources, Assam is proud to host this historic event. I hope during the two-day deliberations, while dwelling at length on wide range of issues of constitutional, legislative, economic, social and cultural aspects, you will also take out time to enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of our state and its natural resources and rich heritage, the Chief Minister added.

I welcome Hon’ble LS Speaker Shri @ombirlakota ji and representatives from 53 member countries of CPA to this event.

I also thank Chairman CPA Mr Ian Liddell Grainger for honouring Assam with the responsibility of organising this all important conference.@CPA_Secretariat pic.twitter.com/MdyQ3QJPUb

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 9, 2022

Speaker Lok Sabha Om Birla gave the inaugural address in the event. Acting Chairperson of CPA, Mr. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP, UK enumerated several path breaking initiatives of CPA and hoped that the deliberations of the mid-year Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive Committee in Guwahati would go a long way in shaping strategies for global issues.

Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly, Shri Biswajit Daimary, delivered Vote of Thanks. Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, Ministers of Government of Assam, Members of Legislative Assembly, Secretary General Lok Sabha Shri Utpal Kumar Singh and other dignitaries participated in the event. CPA Executive Committee met physically in Guwahati after three years due the COVID pandemic. 53 delegates from Commonwealth countries participated in the meeting physically and digitally.