<span style="color: #222222;">Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today inaugurated the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference of India Region,Zone III in Guwahati today.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In her address,Ms. Mahajan said North East occupies an important place in the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given immense stress on the development of the region. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Highlighting the topics of discussion during the conference on women empowerment and insurgency, she said that no debate would be meaningful without  women related issues. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Expressing concern over insurgency the Lok Sabha Speaker said,  no socio- political development is possible without peace. Referring Speaker's Research Initiative, she said that it provides a platform to the legislators to interact with domain experts and their peers. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Speaking on the occasion,  Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal said that Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference plays an important role in promoting democracy. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said that voices of the citizens are heard in democratic system . Speakers and Deputy Speakers of state assemblies and MPs from the North Eastern states are participating in the conference. </span>