New Delhi: The Vice President of India and the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that the population control, poverty alleviation and environmental protection are the key issues to the development of any country. He was addressing the Delegation of Asian Population and Development Association, consisting of Parliamentarians from 15 countries, four sitting MPs, one former MP and two MLAs from India, who called on him, here today. The Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha, Dr. P.J. Kurien and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
The Vice President said that the fruits of development should reach the poorest of the poor. He further said that active participation of Legislators is also very important in this regard.
The Vice President while reiterating India’s stand on 2030 Agenda, said that Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) mirror India’s own vision of development and the centrality and overarching objective of poverty eradication in the new Agenda is something India consider extremely important. India’s premier think tank National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog is leading the efforts to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the SDGs, he added.
The Vice President said that India is finalizing a set of national indicator framework to monitor the domestic achievement of SGDs, and is also engaged in the UN process to evolve a framework of global indicators to monitor the achievements of SDGs. He further said that India submitted its Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum in New York in July 2017. India outlined various initiatives and programmes that are currently being implemented by the Government in this regard, he added.
The Vice President said that India welcome all countries which are expected to take measurable actions to implement the 2030 Agenda. He further said that Global partnership is a key to the achievement of goals and targets contained in the Agenda. India appreciate that this has been recognized upfront in the document with a standalone goal on financial, technical and systemic support required for developing countries, he added.
Parliamentarians from 15 countries who are part of the Delegation have commended the pioneering role India played in the process of 2030 Agenda, and said that sustainable efforts will lead to the success of the implementation of this Agenda.
The Delegation after elaborate discussion on the issues has submitted the Delhi Declaration to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.
