Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday, 9 June said that an aware citizenry and a reform-minded legislature are the two indispensable pillars for realising the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, speaking at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-II (North Zone) Conference held at the Haryana Legislative Assembly in Chandigarh. Addressing the Plenary Session-II, Gupta framed the challenge as a dual compact: citizens must exercise democratic vigilance while legislators must provide democratic direction.

Key Remarks at the CPA Conference

'If citizens provide democratic vigilance, legislators must provide democratic direction; if society generates aspirations, institutions must convert those aspirations into outcomes,' Gupta said during his address on the theme 'Role of Aware Society and Legislators in Realising Future Challenges and the Goal of Viksit Bharat 2047'.

He underscored that the ultimate success of the Viksit Bharat 2047 goal rests on a 'simple, powerful synergy' where a vigilant society participates responsibly and legislatures respond with 'unyielding integrity, vision, and foresight.'

India's Strengths and Transformative Achievements

Gupta pointed to India's standing as one of the world's fastest-growing major economies as a foundation of confidence for the journey ahead. He highlighted the country's progress in digital public infrastructure, renewable energy, space technology, and public service delivery as evidence of transformative momentum.

He also lauded India's ability to preserve the strength of its democratic institutions while navigating unprecedented social, economic, and technological transitions — a balance he described as central to sustaining long-term progress.

Challenges Legislators Must Prepare For

Looking ahead over the next two decades, Gupta outlined a set of critical challenges demanding proactive legislative foresight. He warned that 21st-century legislatures must prepare to navigate the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, combat the severe impacts of climate change on agriculture and water resources, counter growing cybersecurity threats, and manage the infrastructure pressures of rapid urbanisation — all while ensuring the youth population is skilled for a knowledge-driven economy.

On the role of an aware society, Gupta asserted that democracy flourishes not merely through elections, but when citizens actively combat misinformation, promote social harmony, and remain deeply conscious of both their constitutional rights and duties.

Legislative Reform and Technology

Turning to institutional reform, Gupta stated that lawmaking bodies 'cannot solve future challenges using the tools of the past.' He cited the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) and shared insights from the Delhi Vidhan Sabha on how technological innovation can build citizen-centric, transparent, and future-ready legislatures.

He cautioned, however, that while digital tools and data must assist governance, they can never replace wisdom, human accountability, and the core deliberative spirit of parliamentary democracy.

Courtesy Call on Haryana Governor

On the sidelines of the conference, Gupta paid a courtesy visit to Haryana Governor Asim Kumar Ghosh at the Lok Bhavan in Chandigarh. He presented the Governor with a copy of the Delhi Legislative Assembly's special coffee table book titled 'Shatabdi Yatra' (The Centenary Journey), celebrating the history and democratic legacy of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha.

As India's policy and legislative conversations increasingly pivot toward the 2047 horizon, the CPA conference signals a growing consensus that institutional modernisation and civic awareness must advance in tandem.