At G20 meet, govt aims to place jobs development, on top

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first G20 meet in Australia this month, India is putting in place a cohesive strategy to prioritise issues of development and employment to the top of the agenda at the Summit.

According to sources close to the development, the Prime Minister’s Office is keen to have a more coordinated plan for the meeting with inputs from all concerned ministries, unlike the past, where it was seen as a more dispersed effort.

The G20 Summit is scheduled to be held on November 15-16 in Brisbane where heads of states of all members of the grouping will finalise the Brisbane Action Plan. While highlighting India’s commitment to global growth, the Prime Minister is expected to push up development as well as the issue of job creation as key priorities for the member countries.

“There has been a lot of discourse at the G20 about lifting global growth by at least 2 per cent, but there is a feeling that there should also be more discussion on development issues which is crucial for emerging economies,” said a source privy to the details, adding that it was also discussed at the Sherpas’ meeting.

Sherpas are deputies to the heads of government who discuss the agenda for the G20  meeting. Similarly, higher growth should also result in job creation and there should not be a scenario of jobless growth, the source explained.

While global leaders are also expected to discuss measures to prevent tax avoidance and promote international tax transparency at the Summit, India is likely to seek a review of the G20 — OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) action plan that was finalised at the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in September this year.

“A lot of countries, including the UK have sought review of some of the clauses of the BEPS that is aimed at checking tax evasion. India is also supporting this,” the person said.

More funds and investments in infrastructure will also be an important agenda for India at the G20 meet, he added.

However, despite the continuing stalemate in the WTO deal, India is not keen to take up the issue at the upcoming Summit. “The trade facilitation agreement is an area where negotiations are going on separately. We are not keen to take it up as an issue in Australia, unless it is raised,” said the source, adding that similarly the issue of environment should also be kept out of G20 talks.

TALKING POINTS

# The PMO is keen to have a more coordinated plan for the meeting with inputs from all concerned ministries, unlike the past, where it was seen as a more dispersed effort

# While highlighting India’s commitment to global growth, the Prime Minister is expected to push up development as well as the issue of job creation as key priorities for the member countries