The first 'Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion' meeting of the G20, scheduled to be held in Calcutta from January 9-11, will focus on the principles of digital financial inclusion, remittance costs and SME finance availability, a top official said Sunday.
The three-day event will also feature symposiums, exhibitions and a domestic outreach programme on digital financial literacy involving over 1,800 students from various schools, he said.
"The symposiums will deliberate on unlocking the digital financial inclusion infrastructure and the policy perspective," said Chanchal Sarkar, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs.
"The focus of the meeting will be on the digital financial inclusion principles, reduction of remitance costs and finance availability for SMEs," Sarkar told reporters here.
He said that 12 international speakers will attend the G20 meeting in Calcutta, but did not elaborate on the same.
Sarkar also said institutions like NABARD will highlight the rural area coverage of innovative financial products and services during the meeting.
The senior finance ministry official added that "indications are that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee might attend the G20 meeting on January 9".
She is expected to promote Bengal as an ideal destination for investment before the representatives of the member countries.
Calcutta Port, now Shyama Prasad Mookherjee Port, said in a release that it has undertaken a special cleanliness and beautification drive at several locations, including the iconic Howrah Bridge, for the programme.
Cultural events, sightseeing and dinner on river cruise have been planned for the delegates as part of the scheduled programme.
India assumed the presidency of the influential bloc G20 at its annual summit in Bali in November, with a promise of striving to ensure that the grouping acts as a global prime mover to envision new ideas and accelerate collective action to deal with pressing challenges.
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