Page 45 - NIS English 01-15 May,2023

G-20 Nation

2ND MEETING OF TOURISM WORKING GROUP- SILIGURI, DARJEELING

Support for five tourism priorities under India's Presidency

In India diversity is seen at every level, social, Tea Garden, the delegates enjoyed Moonlight Tea.
cultural, weather, tourist places, food, colloquial, The meeting was preceded by a panel discussion
and dress. India is considering the presidency of on 'Adventure Tourism as a vehicle for achieving
G-20 as a great opportunity to take this heritage to the Sustainable Development Goals' in which
the global level. This is the reason why the program representatives from the United Kingdom, Mexico,
venue for about 200 meetings that have been Canada, Germany, Japan, and Brazil participated.
fixed throughout the year has also been selected Union Tourism, Culture Minister G. Kishan
keeping in mind cultural diversity, tourist places, Reddy said in the inaugural session that our
and local district products. In this series, the five target is to make India a one trillion dollar tourism
priorities set under the chairmanship of India were economy by 2047, the 100th year of independence.
discussed in the second meeting of the Tourism The main objectives of the new tourism policy are
Working Group held from 2 to 4 April, where the to improve the infrastructure related to tourism
representatives supported the priorities. development, support tourism industries and
After the meeting in Siliguri, West Bengal, the strengthen tourism.
delegates were taken on the Darjeeling Himalayan The Tourism Working Group will hold two more
Railway (DHR) from Ghum station, the highest meetings including the Ministerial meeting to be
railway station in the country, to Darjeeling station. held in Goa. There are plans to release a ministerial
Along with visiting Batasia Loop and War Memorial, communique and Goa roadmap for tourism.

deliberate on low-cost financing for transition to
energy sources. Discussed the important role of Meetings in the first fortnight of May
international financial architecture including the
importance of the functions established by it. Third meeting of the Development
There was broad agreement among members to Working Group, 9-11 May, Goa.
align with other global organizations including 2nd meeting of the Cultural Working
the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), Mission Group, May 15-17, Bhubaneswar.
Innovation (MI), and RD20. It was also agreed to Third meeting of the Energy
focus on the use of clean and mature technologies Transformation Working Group, 15-17
May, Mumbai.
such as Solar PV and Offshore Wind. The
discussions that took place in this meeting will
be taken forward in the proposed third meeting of
this group in Mumbai during May 15-17. The G-20 first solar-powered village. The delegates were
delegates were shown the Gift City, Dandi Kutir, also shown Gujarat's rich cultural heritage, art,
and Modhera Sun Temple. Modhera is India's architecture, culture, and cuisine.

New India Samachar May 1-15, 2023 43