Statement by Honble Speaker of Lok Sabha Smt Sumitra Mahajan, at the Second meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments held in New York, 17 November 2014

Session on: Lessons from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the future post-2015 development agenda

Mr. President,

Fellow Speakers of Parliaments,

Distinguished delegates,

I am happy to participate in and contribute to this session.

I wish to thank Assistant Secretary General Amina Mohammed for her useful briefing.

Our collective track record of achievement of the Millennium Development Goals presents an uneven picture. While we should be happy with several important gains, it is clear that the collective human development challenge encapsulated in the MDGs remains unmet.

The MDG target of reducing global poverty rates was indeed achieved before time.

Countries in Asia, including my own, have contributed in no small measure to this achievement.

Yet, over 1.2 billion people, - and that is more than double the combined population of Europe ' continue to be deprived of a life of dignity and at current rates, over than 970 million people will still be in poverty in 2015.

This is not only politically untenable; it is also economically unviable and morally indefensible.

Clearly therefore, ending poverty must be the central and overriding objective of the new development agenda for the post-2015 period.

The new development agenda should be about development, for the promotion of rapid and sustained inclusive growth to make poverty and hunger history.

A key reason for the under-achievement under MDGs was the failure of the global partnership to support the efforts of the most vulnerable developing countries.

In the new development agenda, which we all want to the transformative, we must also have the political wisdom and courage to look for a transformative shift in solutions. Business as usual will not be sufficient.

The imperative of a supportive international economic environment, enhanced aid and investment flows, a supportive multilateral trade regime and a strengthened framework for transfer of technology must anchor the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Mr. President,

Sustainability is a key element in current global discussions, and rightly so.

We strongly believe that our efforts to mainstream sustainability will remain hollow unless we are able to confront the issues of inequity in consumption of global resources and reducing the unsustainable ecological footprints of the developed countries.

Indian traditional wisdom emphasizes a culture of frugality, of doing more with less, of taking only as much as required from nature and of no wastage. In India, we worship earth, water, air, fire and space which are the five elements of nature. These ideals need to be embraced if we are serious about combating climate change and sustainable development.

At the same time, the burden of sustainability cannot be placed on the poor. Livelihood concerns of the underprivileged cannot be compromised for lifestyle interests of others.

The recent Indian elections were not only a manifestation of democracy at its best, but also symbolized a great yearning for growth and development by the people of India.

Mr. President,

India participated actively in the work of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and is satisfied with its overall outcome. This outcome needs to be preserved even as the focus should be on strengthening the global partnership for development in the coming months.

To conclude, India is committed to working with the international community to craft an ambitious, comprehensive and equitable development agenda with poverty eradication at its core.

The Indian Parliament is ready to play its role in this noble endeavor.

Thank you.

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