Pune: First G20 infrastructure working group meeting concludes

The first G20 Infrastructure Working Group meeting under India's G20 presidency concluded on Tuesday in Pune. It was attended by 64 representatives from 18 member nations, eight guest countries, and eight international organisations.

The two-day meeting focused on the main theme "Financing Cities of Tomorrow - Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable," as well as other important topics. The representatives discussed how to make cities economic centres of growth and how to construct future-ready urban infrastructure. They also looked into ways to compile infrastructure expenditure data and make it valuable to the business sector.

A high-level workshop complemented the meeting on "Financing Cities of Tomorrow," in which over 15 international experts explored city financing concerns. The session examined how cities of the future must integrate core administrative tasks such as planning, finance, and financing in order to boost private sector participation.

The workshop, divided into three interrelated sessions, focused on the infrastructure and related technical and management abilities required to develop tomorrow's cities. It also examined how cities and governments may prepare to expand private finance for such infrastructure construction.

The delegates also had the chance to learn about Pune's rich food, history, and culture. The second IWG meeting is scheduled for March 28–29 in Visakhapatnam.