Shifting day @Parliament: New future, says PM; Opposition flags disparities

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dubbed the new Parliament building as a symbolic representation of India's new future even as th Opposition flagged the increasing disparities in the country.

The Prime Minister urged Members of Parliament to reaffirm the commitment to make India a developed nation by 2047 and described the move to the new Parliament building as a new beginning towards a new future.

He was addressing a gathering of MPs at the historic Central Hall of the old Parliament building during a function to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India.

"In the new Parliament building, we are going to make new beginnings for a new future," Modi said.

"Since 1952, 41 heads of states from across the world have addressed our MPs in the Central Hall and more than 4,000 laws have been passed by Parliament in the last seven decades," the prime minister said.

He added that the old Parliament building will now be known as Samvidhan Sadhan.

Adhir flags 'stark disparities'

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday flagged the "stark disparity" within the country in the form of wealth creation and said bridging it will be the crucial challenge in achieving a 'developed nation' status.

Addressing a function in the Central Hall of the old Parliament building, Chowdhury said India ranked 131st among 189 countries on the Human Development Index.

He said 10 per cent of India's population controlled 73 per cent of the total wealth, while 73 per cent of the wealth created in 2017 gravitated towards the wealthiest one per cent.

Chowdhury said 670 million people in the country saw their wealth increase by one per cent in 2017.

"This stark disparity presents a crucial challenge in ensuring that millions living below the poverty line have access to fundamental necessities such as food, shelter and healthcare a prerequisite for moving towards a developed nation status," Chowdhury said.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were present on the dias at the function.

Chowdhury said the ability to achieve developed nation status by 2047 hinged on the active involvement of citizens.

The Congress leader also said that lowering inflation, creating jobs and bolstering the health and education sectors were key for India becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Chowdhury stressed that separation of powers must be maintained.

"India is not a homogeneous society, We are a heterogeneous society, we need to maintain a harmonious society," he added.

(With PTI inputs.)