New Delhi, June 9 -- A developed India by 2047 will depend as much on aware and responsible citizens as on forward-looking legislatures, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said on Tuesday while addressing the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-II (North Zone) Conference in Haryana.
Speaking at the Plenary Session-II on the theme "Role of Aware Society and Legislators in Realising Future Challenges and the Goal of Viksit Bharat 2047," Gupta stressed that democratic participation and institutional vision must go hand in hand to achieve the country's long-term development goals.
"If citizens provide democratic vigilance, legislators must provide democratic direction; if society generates aspirations, institutions must convert those aspirations into outcomes," Gupta said. He further observed that a truly developed nation cannot be measured solely by economic prosperity. "A truly developed India cannot be measured by wealth alone, but by the strength of its institutions, the awareness of its citizens, and a deeply shared culture of national responsibility," he said.
Addressing legislators and presiding officers from northern states, Gupta noted that India is undertaking its journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 with confidence, supported by rapid economic growth and major achievements in digital public infrastructure, renewable energy, space technology and public service delivery. He also highlighted India's success in preserving democratic institutions amid significant social, economic and technological transformations.
The Delhi Assembly Speaker cautioned that legislatures must prepare for emerging challenges over the next two decades. These include the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence and other disruptive technologies, climate change-related threats to agriculture and water resources, cybersecurity risks, urban infrastructure pressures and the need to equip India's youth for a knowledge-based economy.
Calling an aware society the first pillar of progress, Gupta said democracy thrives not merely through elections but through informed citizens who combat misinformation, promote social harmony and remain conscious of their constitutional rights and duties.
On the role of legislatures, he argued that governance institutions must evolve to meet future challenges. "Lawmaking bodies cannot solve future challenges using the tools of the past," he said.
Referring to initiatives such as the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), Gupta highlighted how technology can make legislative institutions more transparent, citizen-centric and efficient. However, he cautioned that technology should complement rather than replace democratic values. "Digital tools and data must assist governance, but they can never replace wisdom, human accountability, and the core deliberative spirit of parliamentary democracy," he said.
Gupta stressed public participation in Viksit Bharat 2047 and presented *Shatabdi Yatra* to Haryana Governor.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.