Rio de Janeiro [Brazil], November 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighted India's achievement of lifting 250 million people out of poverty in the last decade and also affirmed support to Brazil's initiative for global alliance against hunger and poverty.
He was addressing the G20 Session on 'Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty' at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Speaking about India's success in tackling food security, PM Modi 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. The Prime Minister highlighed that over 800 million people are being provided free foodgrains and over 550 million people are benefiting from the world's biggest health insurance scheme.
"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," he said.
PM Modi 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.
"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," he stated.
Prime Minister Modi stressed that the Global South can be developed only if the decisions taken at the summit have their challenges in mind.
"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," he said.
He added that decisions taken at the New Delhi Summit are serving as the basis for Brazil's summit too. He expressed his elation at the fact that the Sustainable Development Goals are being prioritised.
"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, 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," he said.
Talking about women-led development and support to farmers, PM Modi said that women have been given access to credit. Farmers are given assistance of USD 40 billion.
"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 USD 20 billion. Under the farmers' scheme, assistance worth over USD 40 billion has been given to 110 million farmers. Institutional credit worth 300 billion US dollars is being given to farmers," he said.
Talking about food security, PM Modi said that an Integrated Nutrition Support Programme supports women and and the girl child.
"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," he said.
He added, "India is also contributing to global food security. We have provided humanitarian assistance to Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, recently."
PM Modi said that the success of India's policies were due to 'Back to Basics and March to Future' approach.
"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," the Prime Minister said.
He added, "We have developed over 2,000 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."
PM Modi also thanked Brazilian President, Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva, for hosting the Summit and for his gracious hospitality. He further underscored that the Indian G20 presidency's call for "One Earth, One Family, One Future" continued to resonate at the Rio conversations.
"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. I am confident that during the next session, there will be an even more detailed, positive discussion on this subject," he said.