G20 meeting in Patna to be now held in June

The G20 meeting in Patna, which was earlier scheduled to be held in early March, is now being planned for June, according to a senior official. India assumed the chairmanship of the influential bloc on December 1. More than 200 meetings are planned in 55 locations across the country. "The G20 meeting was earlier scheduled for the first week of March. But the date has now been changed and it is planned to be held sometime in June," said a senior Bihar government official.

The G20 meeting in Patna will be held on a working trip and several delegates are expected to attend. Meanwhile, various state departments and district administration are gearing up for the key event in the Bihar capital, sources said. The meeting place in Patna has not been decided yet, they said.

Bihar Art and Culture Department has become the nodal agency for the G20 event and plans are underway to provide a pleasant experience to the delegates during their visit to Patna. "Apart from the main event, we plan to take the delegates to Patna Old Museum and Bihar Modern Museum for cultural visits. If they want to go to Nalanda or other historical places, we will take that into account while planning," the official said.

Patna is a historical city that lies on the site of ancient Pataliputra, the capital of the Mauryan Empire. From major metros to smaller cities, including those with rich history and scenic beauty like Hampi and Khajuraho, India has planned to host G20 meetings in these 55 locations across the country during its year-long presidency. Top officials at the Ministry of Tourism said the idea behind selecting historic cities, among others to host meetings, was to "focus attention on the monuments".