Global, national reforms needed for more just world in wake of COVID-19, says Lok Sabha Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday said that the international community needs to push for global and national reforms in order to make a more just and equal world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday said that the international community needs to push for global and national reforms in order to make a more just and equal world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Speaker, who participated in the general debate on 'The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic challenges and multilateralism's ability to deliver for the people' at the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (5WCSP) here today, underlined India's global response to the pandemic.

He said post-pandemic global economic recovery requires collaboration and cooperation between member countries so as to stimulate the revival of the global economy. The Speaker said India has been at the forefront of undertaking prompt humanitarian assistance and relief operations during the pandemic.

According to an official release, the Speaker mentioned that India has supplied vaccines, medicines and other equipment to over 150 countries as a measure of our commitment to global health and well being. Birla said that the world needs to take important lessons from the pandemic. He cautioned that as more dreadful variants of virus are expected to rise, the global community needs to ensure that vaccines are distributed equitably around the world.

Birla noted that the international community needs to push for global and national reforms in order to make a more just and equal world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said India was proactive in dealing with COVID-19 and "the hallmark of our response to the pandemic has people and communities at the core of our efforts".

He added that the initial measures taken by the country in the early days of the pandemic gave India the requisite time and resources to gear up its strategies to fight the virus. Birla also highlighted India's focus on developing indigenous technologies.

"We enhanced our production capacity of PPE kits, masks, face-covers, diagnostics, oxygen, drugs, ventilators and other accessories to fight the pandemic," he said. Pointing out that India reopened its economy in phases after the initial lockdown, Birla informed the delegates that two major economic stimulus packages were announced immediately to provide much-needed relief to people.

He added that these packages included the $110 Billion Atmanirbhar Bharat Yojana which is equivalent to 10 per cent of India's GDP and the $23 Billion Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana relief package. The Speaker also mentioned that India has embarked on the world's largest free-of-cost vaccination drive which has an ambitious target of inoculating 900 million citizens by the end of the year.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Speaker held bilateral meetings with the presiding officers of Parliaments of Italy, Mongolia and Guyana and discussed shared democratic values, strengthening of the democratic ethos at the grassroots level, women empowerment and the need for enhanced mutual cooperation in cultural, economic, diplomatic and other areas. (ANI)

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