'Opportunity for country to showcase...': PM Modi chairs meeting with CMs, governors on India's G20 presidency

PM Modi reiterated the need to ensure people's participation in the G-20 events with a "whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach."

Pic Credit: File Photo

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a virtual meeting of governors, chief ministers and lieutenant governors on Friday to discuss aspects relating to India's G20 presidency, saying it is a unique opportunity for the country to showcase its strengths. During the meeting, the prime minister emphasised the importance of teamwork and sought the cooperation of states and Union Territories in organising various G-20 events, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.

The prime minister pointed out that the G-20 presidency would help showcase parts of India beyond the conventional big metros, thus bringing out the uniqueness of each part of the country.

Highlighting the large number of visitors who would be coming to India during its G-20 presidency and the international media focus on various events, Modi underlined the importance of states and Union territories using this opportunity to re-brand themselves as attractive business investment and tourism destinations, according to the statement.

He also reiterated the need to ensure people's participation in the G-20 events with a "whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach." In a tweet, the prime minister said he chaired a meeting of governors, LGs and CMs to discuss India's G-20 presidency and related events which will take place across the country through the coming year.

"Governors, LGs and CMs shared their rich insights on the preparedness of the states. I also talked about the need to document the experiences of the states, which would be a valuable repository for the times to come," Modi said.

A number of state leaders shared their thoughts during the meeting, stressing on the preparations being done by the states and UTs to suitably host G-20 meetings, the statement said.

The meeting was also addressed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and a presentation was made by India's G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant. India officially assumed the G-20 presidency on December 1.

The country is expected to host over 200 preparatory meetings across the country beginning this month.

The next G-20 Leaders' Summit at heads of states or governments level is scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10 next year in New Delhi. G-20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.

It comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Union.