Varanasi, June 12 (Hindustan Times). Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the meeting of Development Ministers of G-20 countries today. Wishing success to the meeting and welcoming the guests, he said – ‘The soul of Kashi is energized by India’s timeless traditions. I hope you don’t spend all your time in the meeting room. I encourage you to go outside. Explore and feel the spirit of Kashi. And, I do not say this just because Kashi is my constituency. I am sure the experience of Ganga Aarti and Sarnath Yatra will motivate you to achieve the desired results.’
The Prime Minister said in the video address- ‘I heartily welcome all of you to the oldest living city (Banaras), the mother of democracy. Kashi has been a center of knowledge, discussion, culture and spirituality for centuries. It contains the essence of India’s diverse heritage.’
He said – ‘Development is a core issue for the global south. Countries in the Global South have been badly affected by the disruptions caused by the global COVID pandemic. Food, fuel and fertilizer crisis caused by geopolitical tensions has given another blow. In such circumstances, the decisions taken by you mean a lot to the entire humanity. I firmly believe that it is our collective responsibility not to let the Sustainable Development Goals take a back seat. We must ensure that no one is left behind. It is imperative for this group to send a strong message to the world that we have an action plan to achieve this. I urge the G-20 development ministers to study this model of development.
Prime Minister Modi said- ‘This may be relevant because you are working towards giving impetus to Agenda 2030. Digitization has brought revolutionary changes in India. We have made efforts to improve the lives of people in more than 100 aspirational districts which were under-development pockets. Technology is being used as a tool to empower people, make data accessible and ensure inclusivity. India is not limited to women empowerment but extends to women led development. I urge you to adopt a game-changing action plan for women-led development.
The Prime Minister said – ‘In India we have a lot of respect for rivers, trees, mountains and all the elements of nature. Traditional Indian thought promotes a pro-planet lifestyle. The Prime Minister said that last year, along with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, I had launched Mission Life – Lifestyle. I am glad that this group is working to develop a set of high level principles on Life. This will be an important contribution to climate action. It is worth mentioning that External Affairs Minister Dr. This meeting is going on at Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Hastkala Sankul Auditorium, Badalalpur under the chairmanship of Jaishankar.
