Bengaluru, Feb 21 (PTI) A meeting of G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) will begin on Wednesday ahead of the first G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting under the Indian Presidency scheduled during February 24-25.

Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth told reporters here that the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting will be preceded by a two-day G20 FCBD meeting which will be inaugurated by Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday.

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The first G20 FMCBG meeting under the G20 Indian Presidency on February 24-25 will see the participation of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the G20 members, invitee members and heads of International Organisations.

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In total, there will be 72 delegations attending the meeting, he said.

The Indian Presidency has designed the meeting agenda in a manner that can foster a meaningful exchange of ideas among Ministers and Governors on pragmatic and meaningful approaches to address some of the key global economic issues.

The meeting will be spread over three sessions on February 24th-25th, covering issues such as strengthening multilateral development banks to address shared global challenges of the 21st century, financing for resilient, inclusive and sustainable ‘cities of tomorrow', leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for advancing financial inclusion and productivity gains. The sessions will also cover issues related to the global economy, global health, and international taxation.

The discussions in the G20 FMCBG meeting are intended to provide a clear mandate for the various workstreams of the G20 Finance Track in 2023.

On the sidelines of these meetings, a number of side events have been planned for the visiting Ministers, Governors, Deputies and other delegates, on subjects such as Digital Public Infrastructure, Policy Perspectives on Crypto Assets and the role of National Payment Systems in Cross Border Payments.

A Ratri Bhoj Par Samvad and specially curated cultural programmes will also be organised for the Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors and their delegations which will showcase India's diverse cuisines and culture.

A special event titled Walk the Talk: Policy in Action is also being organised, during which the Ministers and Governors will visit the Indian Institute of Science (IIS) to engage with tech innovators and entrepreneurs who are working on affordable and scalable solutions to some of the challenges being faced by G20 member countries.

For the welcome of ministers, governors, deputies and delegates, Seth said that cultural programmes showcasing India's rich cultural odyssey across Karnataka — a land renowned for its deep-rooted cultural and artistic heritage with diverse forms of arts and crafts are being organised.

The performance would reflect the artistry and splendour of Karnataka's cultural ethos and legacy, he added.

On February 26, he said, choices of excursions have been provided for the delegates to provide them an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful natural landscape of Karnataka.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)