Youth of India, Australia should join hands for development of both countries, says Lok Sabha Speaker in Toronto

Birla, in his interaction with the Australian delegation, highlighted the role of youth in nation-building and stressed that young women and men from both countries should interact regularly and contribute to development through knowledge-sharing.

He urged promoting people-to-people contact between the two countries to bolster bilateral ties.

"It was the right decision in the right direction to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. The legislators of India and Australia should regularly interact among themselves, and exchange best practices and implementation modules that will make parliamentary democracy stronger," the Lok Sabha speaker said.

Birla lauded the Indian diaspora for celebrating on foreign soil the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on the completion of 75 years of the nation's independence.

He said that the tricolour binds all Indians around the world together. "In the Amrit Kaal, Indians abroad celebrated Independence Day and made it a global celebration," Birla added.

Further, mentioning about India-Australia Friendship Group, Birla said,

Referring to Parliamentary Standing Committees, Birla said that these committees are effective mechanisms for ensuring accountability of the executive.

"Therefore, for strengthening the legislature, the committee system should be strengthened," said Birla. He also invited legislators and officials from the Australian Parliament for training in PRIDE.

In his speech, the Lok Sabha Speaker underscored the sports ties between the two countries, saying that cricket is a passion in both India and Australia.

"Cricket teams of both countries should regularly meet which will improve people-to-people contact between the two countries," he added.

Later, Birla also took a meeting of the Presiding Officers and Parliamentarians of the Indian Delegation and urged them to put forth India's point of view during the deliberations and to contribute positively to making the conference successful.

The Lok Sabha speaker later participated in the Opening Ceremony of the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and interacted with Presiding Officers and Parliamentarians of other Commonwealth countries.

On the occasion, he reiterated India's commitment to strengthening parliamentary democracy and to making legislatures inclusive.

During the ongoing Conference, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Anurag Sharma has been nominated as CPA Treasurer by the CPA Executive Committee by an overwhelming majority.

Today, Lok Sabha Speaker Birla will participate as a panelist in a workshop titled "A People's Parliament: Accessibility through Innovation".

The Lok Sabha Speaker arrived in Toronto on Monday to attend the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.

The Speaker is leading the Indian Parliamentary delegation that will hold bilateral discussions with presiding officers of world legislatures and parliamentarians in order to strengthen democracy. (ANI)