Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday told the Suriname National Assembly that India was ready with an “action plan” to become a developed country by 2047, the 100th year of its independence.

Birla, who is leading a parliamentary delegation, became the first Lok Sabha Speaker to address the National Assembly of the tiny South American country.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in his Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort urged the people to take the pledge of making India a developed country by the hundredth year of freedom.

Birla seemed to be borrowing from Modi and going a step forward to assert that the country was ready with an “action plan”.“India is ready with an action plan to become a developed State by 2047. Rapid progress has already been made in addressing foundational issues relating to inclusive development,” Birla said, according to a release by the Lok Sabha secretariat.

Highlighting the importance of Parliament in a democracy, Birla said the House was the embodiment of hopes and aspirations of the people and played a leading role in bringing about socio-economic transformation in the lives of the people.“Debates and discussions on issues relating to people’s welfare are encouraged in Parliament of India. Effective legislations are outcomes of constructive debates and discussions,” he said.

Birla called for further strengthening of the historical and parliamentary ties between India and Suriname using technology and capacity-building of parliamentarians and staff of the National Assembly of Suriname.An MoU was signed between the Lok Sabha secretariat and the National Assembly for cooperation in exchange of information and improved access to parliamentary archives and documents.A meeting with a group of ministers from Suriname was also held in which Birla “reaffirmed India’s commitment as a dependable friend and a reliable partner of Suriname”.

Birla addressed the Indian diaspora in Suriname and talked about their contribution in the socio-economic development of the country.