Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged G20 development ministers to gather in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday to design plans for SDGs to be realized by 2030 and for women-led development.
PM Modi said in a virtual speech that development is a critical problem for the Global South. The Global South was badly damaged by the disruption caused by the covid epidemic, as well as following food, fuel, and fertilizer problems caused by geopolitical conflicts.
Modi said that under such conditions, choices taken by G20 development ministers have a huge impact on mankind as a whole.
“I strongly believe that it is our collective responsibility not to let sustainable development goals fall behind. We must ensure that no one is left behind. It is imperative for this group to send a strong message to the world that we have an action plan to achieve this,” the prime minister said.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are crucial to achieving the SDGs, Modi told the ministers. “In India, we are not limited to women’s empowerment. Ours is a women-led development. Women are setting the agenda for development and are also the agents of growth and change. I urge you to adopt a game-changing action plan for women-led development,” he said.
He also said that international financial organizations should be modified to guarantee that people in need have access to funding.
PM Modi highlighted the efforts India made to develop the most backward districts. “In India, we have made efforts to improve the lives of people in more than 100 districts which were pockets of under-development. Our experience shows that they have now emerged as the catalyst of growth in the country. I urge the G20 development ministers to study this model of development,” Modi said.
He said that one of the most pressing concerns confronting leaders is the widening data gap. According to him, high-quality data is essential for meaningful policymaking, efficient resource allocation, and successful public service delivery.
Technology democratization is a key instrument for bridging the data gap. Digitalization has brought about a dramatic transformation in India, he claims.
“Technology is being used to empower people,” Modi said, adding that India was willing to share its experience with partner countries.
“I hope your discussions result in tangible action to promote data for discourse, data for development, and data for delivery in developing countries,” he said.
