Stage set for G20 meet in Varanasi today

VARANASI : The third two-day meeting of the G20 Framework Working Group (FWG) will begin in the PM’s constituency Varanasi on Tuesday to discuss challenges before the global economy and their possible solutions.

The FWG is one of the core groups of the G-20, which is a group of 19 nations and the European Union that deliberates on global economic issues and other key developmental challenges.

The meeting under the G-20 German presidency is being co-hosted by the department of economic affairs, finance ministry, and the Reserve Bank of India. The first two under the German presidency were held in Berlin in December 2016 and Riyadh in February 2017.

Meanwhile, many of the delegates have arrived in the temple town for the meeting.

“Stage is all set for the G-20 meet in Kashi. All preparations are well in place. One important focus will be deliberations on the inclusive growth agenda and to formulate a framework that will enable countries to help frame country specific inclusive growth policies,” senior IAS officer Jayant Narlikar, deputy secretary, department of economic affairs, ministry of finance, told HT here. More than 100 high-level officials from G20 member and invitee countries as well as international organisations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the International Labour Organisation and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development will take part in the meeting.

With seven of its delegates to attend the meet, Germany tops the chart. Six delegates from China, five from Canada, four each from Indonesia and South Korea will also be attending the meet. Other members and invitees have sent one or two delegates each.

India, along with Canada, has been co-chairing this group and the chief economic advisor of India holds the role of the Indian co-chair. Since the Inception of the FWG in 2009, this is the fourth occasion that India is hosting the meet.

A top official of the union ministry of finance camping in Varanasi said, “In the meeting, the G20 FWG will discuss the current global economic conjecture besides deliberating on the policy options the countries can use to counter challenges.”

Union secretary of economic affairs, Shaktikanta Das, will inaugurate the meeting as the chief guest. The delegates will also watch the ‘Ganga Aarti’. The Varanasi Nagar Nigam in association with sanitation volunteers carried out a cleanliness drive at Ganga ghats.