EAM to take stock of G20 meet prep

Varanasi: Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar will reach on the eve of commencement of the G20 Development Ministers’ meeting here from June 11 to 13.
In view of the second prestigious G20 event to be hosted in Kashi, district magistrate S Rajalingam on Wednesday convened a meeting of liaison officers selected for the forthcoming G20 event and assigned tasks to make preparations for attending to the delegates and guests.
Regarding External Affairs Minister’s arrival, divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma confirmed the minister will reach the city on June 10.
Jaishankar is likely to review preparations for the G20 Development Ministers’ meeting immediately after his arrival and stay till June 12, said the officials.
Addressing the liaison officers, the DM directed them to chalk out details of venues, food, transport, medical emergency and all other basic facilities.
He also directed them to inspect the airport, the sites to be visited by the guests, the cruise they will take, etc. In the series of G20 events with India as its president, Kashi had hosted Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) in April.
The state government and district administration are leaving no stone unturned to prepare for the G20 Development Ministers’ meet, which over 40 ministers from different countries are likely to attend.
A government press release said, apart from ministers from different countries, more than 100 foreign journalists and 160 delegates will be visiting Varanasi between June 11 and 13.
The series of events of the proposed meet of development ministers will begin after hosting of a dinner on June 11 to welcome the foreign guests.
On June 12, following the meeting at Deen Dayal Upadhyay-Trade Facilitation Centre, the foreign guests will also participate in Ganga Aarti while on a cruise.
On June 13, they will visit Sarnath, where Lord Buddha preached and the Trade Facilitation Centre’s wings to see the unique handicraft of the Purvanchal region and meet artisans.