G20 Corridor Special Drive: How India's G20 Summit Preps Include Both 'vikas & Virasat'

Meenakshi Lekhi, Union MoS for External Affairs and Culture, in a special drive with Republic TV, around the G20 corridor in the national capital, highlighted the importance of balancing both development as well as keeping the glorious traditions of the country also in mind and preparing for the G20 Summit. “We have tried to showcase our cultural strength as well as our heritage and showcasing both the prowess of latest technology alongwith the ancient Indian traditions (While preparing for the G20 Summit). Quoting PM Modi, she said, “PM says ‘vikas bhi virasat bhi’ so you cannot debunk one and continue with the other. We have to stay together on all fronts and keep abreast with the latest technologies and yet remain glued to our roots is what we have tried to do.”

While pointing out the various challenges faced during the preparations for the G20 summit, the Minister said, “The biggest challenge hasn’t come from people outside the country or state. The biggest challenge has been the inmates of the state.” MoS Lekhi further stated that the Centre received good support from other states including from opposition governments, however, not in the case of Delhi. “I will have to straighten few accounts. In Delhi, the response was give us Rs 927 crore for us to start the work. A lot of time was spent on that.” 

We believe in one earth, one family, one future. PM Modi has been quite hands on with the preparations. Learnt so much under PM Modi's leadership during G20: MoS MEA Meenakshi Lekhi (@M_Lekhi) takes us through G20 corridor

A special G20 broadcast, Watch G20 corridor tour on… pic.twitter.com/hZDfSONwrj

— Republic (@republic) September 7, 2023

Rs 700 crore spent on revamping the streets in Delhi

On the amount of work that entailed the preparations in Delhi and across India for the G20 Summit, the Union Minister said, “Over Rs 700 crore was spent for revamping the streets. I must give credit to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi who I don't know how many man-hours he would have spent in the middle of the night and early in the morning to get things going. Over 18,000 artists would have worked on the various ensembles and other works (for the decoration in Delhi). Over 200 engagements have happened at 60 different locations (for the G20 Summit across India). Fragrances of that particular region, right from perfumery to incense sticks to dhoop, etc. There are different textures - silk, cotton the fabrics. All this would have also meant different musical sounds, instruments, and dance forms.”

Praising the leadership of Narendra Modi, Lekhi said, “Coming from the grassroots, PM Modi understands that policymaking is not a monkey’s job, sitting in a room and churning out some numbers and saying this is going to be the policy. It will be a policy-making in which the people who are impacted the most by the policy, need to have a voice. So before G20 started, there was a conference with people representing the global south and all the heads of states and many others who got the people's point of view as to what are their expectations from G20. So the room that didn’t carry their voice carries their voice (now). The global economy has been very centralised. PM is democratising the method of world’s economic functioning and yet taking a centrist position.”

Narrating PM Modi’s leadership style and how hands-on he is with the affairs at hand, Lekhi explained, “When he (PM Narendra Modi) was political in-charge of our party, as it happens in all political parties we all say something and may be do less. So somebody would say I have put up 200 posters. Everyone’s left and it’s past midnight and he would actually go walking counting the numbers and you will get a call, come in the morning - the number is not 200, it’s 20. You can’t fake and cook up, you have to perform.”