‘Return to basics, move to the future’- PM Modi at G20

New Delhi| Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the world’s most influential leaders who attended the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, said the main reason for India’s success was his government’s vision of ‘returning to basics’ and ‘moving towards the future’.
Addressing the G-20 session on ‘Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty’ at the Bayside Museum of Modern Art during the two-day 19th G-20 Summit, Prime Minister Modi stressed that the “people-centric decisions” taken at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi last year has been taken forward during the Brazilian presidency.

Addressing the session, Prime Minister Modi said, “It is a matter of great satisfaction that we gave priority to the Sustainable Development Goals”. We focused on inclusive growth, women-led development and youth power and gave wings to the hopes and aspirations of the global South. It’s clear that One Earth One Family One Future, is as relevant at this summit as it was last year”

PM Modi shared India’s experiences and success, saying that India has lifted 25 crore people out of poverty in the last 10 years. More than 80 crore people are being given food grains for free. 55 million people are benefiting from the world’s largest health insurance scheme. Now 60 million senior citizens over the age of 70 will also be able to avail free health insurance.

With its focus on women-led development and social inclusion, more than 30 crore women microentrepreneurs have been linked to banks and given access to credit.

More than 40 million farmers have received benefits of US$20 billion under the world’s largest crop insurance scheme. More than $40 billion in aid has been given to 11 million farmers under the Kisan Yojana. US$300 billion in institutional loans are being given to farmers.

He said that India is not only ensuring food security but is also focusing on nutrition. PM Modi said, “Saksham Anganwadi & Nutrition 2.0 campaign is an integrated nutrition support program, which specifically focuses on the nutrition of pregnant women, newborns, children up to six years of age and adolescent girls”. Special attention is being given to the nutritional needs of school going children through the Mid Day Meal Scheme.

Addressing world leaders, PM Narendra Modi said that India is also contributing to global food security. “We have recently provided humanitarian assistance to Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe”, the Prime Minister said. The main reason for our success is our approach; ‘Returning back to basics’ and ‘Moving towards the future’. We have focused on sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, nutrition and food security by promoting Sri Anna or millet

India has developed over 2000 climate friendly crop varieties and also launched the ‘Digital Agriculture Mission’ while also promoting social and financial inclusion through digital public infrastructure. “With the aspirational districts and blocks project we have created a new model for inclusive growth that strengthens the weakest link”, he said.

The Prime Minister said that we support Brazil’s initiative for a global coalition against hunger and poverty. This is an important step towards implementing the Deccan High Level Principles for Food Security adopted at the New Delhi Summit.

Once again presenting the side of developing countries on the global stage, Prime Minister Modi said that due to global conflicts, the countries of the Global South are most adversely affected by the food, fuel and fertilizer crises.

“Our talks can be successful only if we take into account the challenges and priorities of the global South”, he said. Just as we raised the voice of the global South by granting the African Union permanent membership of the G-20 during the New Delhi Summit, we will reform the institutions of global governance. I trust that there will be an even more detailed, positive dialogue on this subject during the next session.

In addition to the leaders of the 19 Member States and the European Union, this summit is also seeing the participation of the African Union, which was admitted as a full member of the group during the New Delhi G-20 summit last year, for the first time

Brazil has also invited 18 guest countries, including five each from Africa, Latin America and Asia, and three from Europe. There are also 15 international organizations taking part in the Rio Summit.