Page 8 - G20

Need for behavioural changes to ensure utilisation of resources: Kant

India's G-20 sherpa Amitabh Kant on Wednesday said there is an "urgency of bringing in behavioural changes" at individual and community levels to avoid "destructive consumption" and ensure "mindful utilisation of resources". "...we wish to highlight the urgency of bringing in behavioral change in both individual and community so that there is a paradigm shift from mindless and destructive consumption to mindful and deliberate utilisation of resources," Kant said. Speaking at the launch meeting of G20 energy transitions and climate finance taskforce organised by Gateway House virtually, Kant said the theme of reducing mindless consumption is also a G-20 priority. He said chasing the net zero goal is net positive for India, pointing out that the country's growth has the potential to catalyse global economic resurgence. "...any achievement by India will have a multiplier impact in the achievement of UN SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals). India's G-20 presidency is an

G20 members stressed on raising climate finance to help farmers: Agri secy

The G-20 members stressed on the need to increase climate finance to help farmers take up adaptation measures in order to mitigate the climate change impact on the farm sector, agriculture secretary Manoj Ahuja said on Wednesday. Addressing media on the concluding day of the G20 first Agriculture Deputies' Meeting here, Ahuja said: "Climate finance was one of the issues which was discussed. The members felt that there was a need for an environment for increasing climate financing in terms of financing farmers for adaptation measures." The member countries also suggested that farmers can be incentivised if they are adopting climate friendly farming or green agriculture. One of the ways was carbon credit, he said. The G20 nations also shared their experience on the impact of climate change in agriculture, he added. Climate smart agriculture was one of the four priority areas discussed in the first Agriculture Deputies Meeting. The secretary said: "There was also discussion on the im

G20 an opportunity to shape agenda for sustainable growth: Amitabh Kant

India has taken over the G-20 presidency at a crucial time when the world is facing several challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine war, economic slowdown and the climate crisis, G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday, adding it is an opportunity for the country to shape the agenda for an inclusive and sustainable development. Speaking at an event at Hindu College here, Kant noted this is the first time that India is getting an opportunity to shape the agenda for the world instead of responding to the agenda set by other countries. Noting the importance of the G-20 forum, he said, "G-20 countries account for 85 per cent of the global GDP and 78 per cent of global trade.... They account for two-third population of the world." India assumed the yearlong presidency of G-20 on December 1. More than 200 meetings will be held in India across 55 locations. Many of them will be hosted in Delhi. The G-20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, ...

India calls on China to take losses on loans in poor-nation debt rework

China needs to come out openly and say what their debt is and how to settle it," said Amitabh Kant, the sherpa for India during its presidency of the Group of 20 forum of the world's biggest economies

NDMC's tulip festival delights nature lovers, anthophiles with visual treat

The NDMC's 'Tulip Festival', beginning Tuesday, has garnered the attention of nature lovers and anthophiles, with lawns of Shanti Path and several roundabouts in its vicinity decked up with thousands of red and white tulips imported from the Netherlands. Those who wish to witness blooming of tulips may visit Shanti Path, Central Park, Children Park, Mandi House, 11 Murti, Windsor Place, Akbar Road, AIIMS Circle, and Palika Kendra, the civic body officials said. A total of 1.24 lakh tulip bulbs were brought from the Netherlands and planted in the first week of January in Shanti Path lawns by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). The blooming of tulips coincides with the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting to be held on March 1-2. Having said that, the major question arises that how can these spring flowers which require constant chilling temperatures survive in the fluctuating weather of the national capital. Growing tulips in Delhi remained a distant dream until 2016 when NDMC offici

Drone use not limited to pesticide spraying in agriculture sector: Govt

Union minister of civil aviation on Tuesday said the applicability of drone in the agriculture sector is beyond pesticide spraying and has tremendous scope in organic and natural farming as well. Drone industry in India has grown 6-8 times in the last one-and-a-half years. The drone infrastructure set up in the country is "extremely robust" and an Indian case study of drones as pioneer in agriculture will be exhibited in the ongoing meeting of G20 agriculture working group. India's aim is to become a global hub for drones by 2030, for which an industry friendly policy including the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) is in place, he added. Addressing the media on the sidelines of the first G-20 Agriculture Deputies Meeting here, the Union minister said: "Don't look at drones through narrow lines. The versatility and diversity of the application of using drones as service is vast." The use of drones in agriculture should not be limited to pesticide spraying. It can be used in .

India appeals to G20 nations to adopt '3S' formula in agriculture

India on Tuesday called on G20 nations to adopt '3S' strategy - Smart, Sustainable and Serve - for the agriculture ecosystem in order to address the global food security concerns. Addressing media on the sidelines of the first G20 Agriculture Deputies' Meeting here, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said agriculture for India has always been a priority and for the world it has fully come to the fore now. "Our thinking is we have to adopt 3S strategy for the agriculture ecosystem to make a mark on the world food system," Scindia said. The 3S strategy is 'smart' and 'sustainable' agriculture which should 'serve' all, he said. For smart agriculture, Scindia emphasised on adopting drone and other new technologies for increasing the crop yield. For sustainable agriculture, farmers should focus on achieving higher yields, use better inputs besides focusing on advanced technologies and marketing, he said. Stating that India has made a significant progress in agriculture, the minister s

India's G20 Presidency a real opportunity to share lessons from South

India's role as the G20 chair is a real opportunity for it to share lessons from the global South with the rest of the world, a top UN Women official has said, as she voiced appreciation for New Delhi placing issues of women-led development and gender equality as the centrepiece of its presidency of the grouping. India assumed the Presidency of the G20 for one year from December 1, 2022, to 30 November 2023. I see the G20 Presidency of India as a real opportunity for India to share lessons from the global South with the rest of the world, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women Anita Bhatia told PTI in an exclusive interview here Monday. She said, for us as UN Women, what is really interesting...is how India is putting the issue of women-led development and a focus on gender equality as a centrepiece of its G20 Presidency. One of the things that (India's G20) Presidency can do is to share development stories and pragmatic ...

G20-DIA: A worldwide initiative to integrate, accelerate digital start-ups

India's innovation capabilities have increased exponentially, putting the country at the 46th rank, according to the Global Innovation Index rank of world economies

MeitY to host Digital Economy Working Group meet in Lucknow from Feb 13-15

As part of India's G20 presidency, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will organise the first Digital Economy Working Group meeting here from February 13-15, officials said on Sunday. Workshops, discussions, and experiences, including side events on themes that complement the overall DEWG agenda, will be held as part of the three-day event, it said. There will be four workshops focussing on digital public infrastructure -- sharing implementation experiences of digital identity in various countries, sharing of cyber security solutions for MSMEs, digital public infrastructure to boost attainment of sustainable development goals and use of geo-spatial technologies for infrastructure and product development in digital economy. Alongside these workshops, the digital initiatives of Uttar Pradesh will also be showcased. In addition, an exhibition with Digital India experience centre has been set up to showcase how Digital India has transformed the lives of a ..

Isro launches 3 satellites; including one developed by 750 girl students

AzaadiSAT sends message of 'Namaste World: From the G20 presidency' after reaching orbit

RBI circular allows travellers from G20 nations to use UPI in India

The Reserve Bank on Friday issued instructions permitting travellers from G20 nations to use the mobile-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make payments while in India. UPI is a system that bunches multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application, merging several banking features, seamless fund routing and merchant payments under a common platform. On Wednesday, the RBI had made an announcement regarding allowing access to UPI to foreign nationals and NRIs visiting India. To start with, it had said the facility will be extended to travellers from the G20 countries at select international airports for their merchant payments (P2M) while they are in the country. Later, it will be enabled across all entry points in the country. "Banks/ Non-banks permitted to issue PPIs can issue INR denominated full-KYC PPIs to foreign nationals / NRIs visiting India (to start with, this facility will be extended to travellers from the G-20 countries, arriving at select international ...

K'taka shows ecotourism hotspots to G20 summit delegates from 30 countries

G20 summit delegates from 30 countries visited the Bannerghatta Biological Park, Kalkere Arboretum, and Jungle Lodges and Resorts as part of the series of events organised by the ECSWG.

Paytm launches G20-theme QR Code to celebrates India's presidency

One97 Communications Limited that owns leading payments and financial services company Paytm, on Friday launched a special G20-theme, QR Code to celebrate India's presidency.

G20 delegates to visit 2001 quake victims memorial in Gujarat's Bhuj

A group of G20 delegates, including three from Turkiye, who are currently in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch for the influential bloc's first meeting under the tourism track, is slated to visit on Friday an iconic memorial in Bhuj built after the deadly 2001 earthquake. Their visit will take place days after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks hit Turkiye and Syria, killing over 17,000 people and flattening thousands of buildings. Turkiye is a member of the G20, or Group of 20, an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies. The death toll in Turkiye since the Monday quake has risen to more than 14,000, with over 63,000 injured, according to international media reports. Over 100 delegates, including both from India and foreign countries have taken part in the G20 event held at the pristine Rann of Kutch being hosted from February 7-9. "The first tourism working group meeting had started from February 7. On that day, one-minute ..

G20: Two-day Urban-20 City Sherpas' meet begins in Ahmedabad today

A two-day Urban-20 City Sherpas' meet that aims to focus on promoting solidarity among cities to find common solutions that are in sync with the overall objectives of the G20 began here on Thursday. This is the third of the G20 events which is being held in Gujarat as part of India's presidency of the G20, or Group of 20. The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation are holding the two-day inception meeting attended by sherpas of the cities identified for U20. After the meeting concludes, a draft communique will be finalised that will be issued during the mayoral summit later this year, likely in July. HUA Joint Secretary Kunal Kumar told PTI that representatives of over 30 international cities are participating in the two-day event to discuss the sustainable development of cities. One of the engagement groups of G20, the U20 provides a platform for cities from G20 countries to facilitate discussions on key issues of urban development, such

G20: First Environment and Climate Sustainability meeting begins today

The first Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting, under India's G20 presidency, will be held here from February 9 to 11. Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the conference will be chaired by Secretary in the ministry, Leena Nandan. With the goal of adopting an integrated, comprehensive and consensus-driven approach to tackling the challenges of climate change, several delegates from G20 countries along with representatives of international organisations will participate in this meeting. As a matter of priority, the working group will be focusing on arresting land degradation, accelerating ecosystem restoration, and enriching biodiversity; promoting a sustainable and climate-resilient blue economy; and encouraging resource efficiency and circular economy. LiFE is an "important and cross cutting" theme across all three priorities, officials said, adding that the three-day meeting includes an event on ecosystem restoration an

Travellers to India from G20 nations can use UPI for merchant payments: RBI

UPI transactions touched a record high of 8.03 billion transactions in January, adding up to Rs 12.98 trillion

G20: Environment & Climate Sustainability meet in Bengaluru from Thursday

The first Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) Meeting, under India's year-long G20 presidency, will be held here from February 9 to 11. Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the conference will be chaired by Secretary in the ministry, Leena Nandan. With the goal of adopting an integrated, comprehensive and consensus-driven approach to tackling the challenges of climate change, several delegates from G20 countries along with representatives of international organisations will participate in this meeting. "India's G20 presidency aims to bring an integrated, comprehensive and consensus-driven approach to address climate change and pursue sustainable growth," Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav had recently said. He also said India will promote LiFE - Lifestyle for Environment - and a resilient development paradigm for G20. As a matter of priority, the working group will be focusing on arresti

G20: Kishan Reddy, Rupala to address Tourism Working Group meet in Gujarat

Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Parshottam Rupala and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will on Wednesday address the Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting organised in Rann of Kutch as part of India's G20 presidency, officials said. Working sessions will be held on five priority issues, namely green tourism, digitalisation, skills, tourism MSMEs and destination management, as per an official release. Union Culture and Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday addressed a side event at the start of the three-day TWG meeting and said tourism can be a positive force for economic transformation, rural development and community wellbeing, and India plans to use the key segment to achieve sustainable development goals during its G20 Presidency. This is the second G20 event in the state after the 'Business 20 Inception' programme held in Gandhinagar last month. The delegates who arrived from different countries were on Tuesday given a traditional welcome, which included performanc