Parl Committee Urges For Sufficient Funding For India's G20 Presidency

The Parliamentary committee on external affairs has requested timely and sufficient funding for India’s G20 Presidency and training for the personnel involved in events. The G20 presidency is relevant for India in many ways, therefore the committee expects the timely availability of funds for the effective implementation of programmes scheduled for the current year. 

The Committee has observed that out of the allocation of Rs 320 crore in 2022-23 for G20 India's Presidency Summit, the expenditure incurred so far under this head is Rs 92.59 crore and an amount of Rs 990 crore has been provisioned in the BE 2023-24.

The Committee, therefore, desired that the Ministry should remain vigilant and keep a close and diligent watch on the trend of expenditure while holding G20 meetings/events and make careful regular analysis for funding requirements so that a realistic projection of anticipated expenditure is arrived at well in advance and the Ministry can get the desired funds from the Ministry of Finance well on time to meet all the expenses in this regard.

The Committee has noted that the G20 Presidency is India's most high-profile international endeavour ever. It is also a unique opportunity to present a face of leadership, diversity, success and our development template to the world.

Hence, the Committee has desired that formal training for all the officials involved in the upcoming events should be held at regular intervals, in addition to inter-ministerial training and familiarisation programmes held by the G20 Secretariat.