Prime Minister addresses G 20 session on Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the opening session of the G 20 Summit today on ‘Social Inclusion and the Fight against Hunger and Poverty’. Prime Minister thanked the President of Brazil, H.E Mr. Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva, for hosting the Summit and for his gracious hospitality. He appreciated the Brazilian G20 agenda focused on Sustainable Development Goals, noting that this approach highlighted the concerns of the Global South and took forward the people-centric decisions of the New Delhi G20 Summit. He further underscored that the Indian G20 presidency’s call for “One Earth, One Family, One Future” continued to resonate at the Rio conversations.

Speaking about India’s initiatives to deal with hunger and poverty, Prime Minister noted that India had pulled 250 million people out of poverty in the last ten years and was distributing free foodgrains to 800 million people in the country. Speaking about India’s success in tackling food security, PM emphasized that its approach based on ‘Back to Basics and March to Future’ was yielding results. He further elaborated on measures taken by India to foster women-led development.

Prime Minister also highlighted the steps taken by India to strengthen food security in Africa and elsewhere. In this regard, he welcomed the Brazilian initiative to establish a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, underlining that the Global South was severely impacted by food, fuel and fertilizer crises created by the ongoing conflicts, and therefore, their concerns ought to be given primacy.

Prime Minister’s Remarks at the G20 Session on “Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty”

Your Highness,

Excellencies,

नमस्कार !

At the outset, I would like to congratulate President Lula for the grand arrangements made for the organisation of the G20 summit and for his successful G20 Presidency.

The people centric decisions taken at the G20 Summit in New Delhi have been taken forward during Brazil’s Presidency.

It is a matter of great satisfaction that we prioritised SDG goals.

We focused on Inclusive development, women led development, and youth power.

And gave wings to the hopes and aspirations of the Global south.

It is clear that One Earth One Family One Future, is as relevant at this summit as it was last year.

Friends,

With respect to the theme of the first session, i would like to share with you India’s experiences and success stories.

Over the last 10 years we have lifted 250 million people out of poverty.

Over 800 million people are being given food grains free of cost.

550 million people are benefiting from the world’s biggest health insurance scheme.

Now, 60 million senior citizens, over the age of 70, will also be able to benefit from free health insurance.

Maintaining our focus on Women led development and social inclusion, over 300 million women micro entrepreneurs have been linked to banks and given access to credit.

Under the world’s largest crop insurance scheme, over 40 million farmers have received benefits worth 20 billion US dollars.

Under the farmers scheme, assistance worth over 40 billion dollars has been given to 110 million farmers.

Institutional credit worth 300 billion US dollars is being given to farmers.

India is not only ensuring food security but also focusing on Nutrition.

The Saksham Anganwadi and Nutrition 2.0 campaign which is an Integrated Nutrition Support Programme, focuses in particular on nutrition for pregnant women, newborn babies, children under the age of 6, and adolescent girls.

Through the Mid Day Meal scheme special attention is being paid to the nutritional needs of school going children.

India is also contributing to global food security.

We have provided humanitarian assistance to Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, recently.

Friends,

The main reason for our success is our approach: ‘back to basics’ and ‘march to the future’.

We have focused not only on natural farming and organic farming but also on new technologies .

We have focused on sustainable agriculture, protection of the environment, nutrition and food security by promoting Sri Ann or millets.

We have developed over 2000 climate resilient crop varieties and have started the ‘Digital Agriculture Mission’

India’s Digital public Infrastructure enabled social and financial inclusion.

With the Aspirational Districts and Blocks project we created a new model for inclusive development that strengthens the weakest link.

Friends,

We support Brazil’s initiative for a “Global Alliance against hunger and poverty”

This is an important step towards the implementation of the Deccan High level principles for Food security, adopted at the New Delhi Summit

Friends,

Finally, I would like to say that countries of the Global south are most adversely impacted by the food, fuel and fertilizer crisis caused by global conflicts.

So our discussions can only be successful when we keep in mind the challenges and priorities of the Global south.

And just as we amplified the voice of the Global south by granting permanent membership of G20 to the African Union during the New Delhi Summit, we will reform institutions of global governance.

I am confident that during the next session, there will be an even more detailed, positive discussion on this subject.

Thank you very much.