Lok Sabha Speaker heads MPs team to South American nations

New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is leading an Indian parliamentary delegation on a week-long official visit to Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay for an interaction with parliamentarians of these countries that began Friday.

During the stay to Chile, the delegation will hold meetings with Guido Girardi, President of the Senate of Chile and Pedro Araya Guerrero, Acting President of Chamber of Deputies, according to the Lok Sabha secretariat.

The delegation will visit Plaza de la India, Pablo Neruda Foundation, Vina del Mar and other sites in Santiago, Chile.

In Uruguay, the delegation will hold meetings with Danilo Astori, President of the Senate, Dr. Luis Laccale Pou, President of the House of Representatives.

"The delegation will also hold discussions with the Special Parliamentary Commission for Gender and Equality. The formation of the India-Uruguay Friendship Group will take place during the visit," a release from the Lok Sabha secretariat.

In Paraguay, the delegation will call on Fernando Lugo, President of Paraguay, and Federico Franco, Vice President of Paraguay.

The delegation will hold meetings with Efrain Alegre, President of the Permanent Commission of Parliament, Victor Alcides Bogado Gonzalez, President of the House of Representatives and Jorge Lara Castro, Foreign Minister of Paraguay.

The delegation includes Satyavrat Chaturvedi, A.K.S. Vijayan, Renubala Pradhan, Balakrishna Khanderao Shukla and Prem Das Rai, all members of parliament.

Lok Sabha Secretary-General T.K. Viswanathan. Lok Sabha Secretariat Joint Secretary A.K.Singh is the secretary to the delegation.

The delegation will complete the visit on Jan 20.