G20 Summit 2023: Varanasi Seeks Rs 50 Crore Funds for Facelift, Agriculture Meet to be Held in April

Six of the 11 G20 Summit events that are scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh will be held in the spiritual city of Kashi, also known as Varanasi. Following a review meeting of the preparations for the international event with representatives from various departments, including PWD, Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC), Varanasi Development Authority (VDA), and others, the officials have estimated a budget of Rs 50 crore to carry out new exercises for a comprehensive facelift of the city.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar announced that the G20 development ministers' conference will be held in Varanasi while interacting with the students at the renowned Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in the previous month.

One of the key locations for the G20 meetings is Kashi. And this is where one of the meetings—the gathering of development ministers, which I will preside over—will take place. Therefore, you will be more likely to see me in the streets of Varanasi, he had stated.

According to the concerned officials, various works including the installation of facade lighting, sculptures, and horticulture will be done in Kashi before the Summit begins, with a focus on the Rudraksh International Convention Center, Banaras Hindu University, Namo Ghat, Kashi Vishwanath Dham, DDU Trade Facility Center, Sarnath, and ghats along the Ganga.

In the meet, tourism officials were instructed to enlist delegates' liaison volunteers and knowledgeable tour guides who could enlighten visitors in-depth about centers of attraction in the city. The department will be responsible for tasks like building spectacular welcome gates at the city entrances, top-notch signage, façade lighting, and the removal of unauthorized hoardings.

On the other hand, PWD will ensure the finishing of the beautification works, railing construction, thermoplastic marking, rumble strips, end-to-end interlocking, and painting of road dividers across the city.

As per the reports, a completion date for each project intended for the G20 summit activities that would take place here between April and August has also been established in the meeting.

Further, the Ministry of Agriculture has been identified as the nodal for the April meeting of the Agriculture Working Group, while in June, the ministry of youth affairs and sports will host the Youth 20 Summit.

In addition, a working group on development will meet for two days in August to discuss joint development and foreign policy at the summit. Moreover, a working group on sustainable finance, with the ministry of finance acting as the nodal organization, is expected to meet as well.