To help achieve the sustainable development goals (SDG), which are set to impact the lives of 500 million people across the country, government and business houses have committed USD 4.43 billion (Rs 30,182 crore) at the just concluded first-ever Global Citizen Festival here.
The Global Citizen Festival India was a celebration of what India is already doing, but it is also a powerful force to mobilise the youth and facilitate mass behavioural change as well as a call to action for our leaders to do more to achieve sustainable and more inclusive growth.
The finale on Saturday was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a video link.
“Global Citizen Festival India brought together 70,000 young people who made their voices heard on the issues that matter: sanitation, education and gender equality and poverty eradication. Their 20 lakh actions showed leaders that the youth are serious in their commitment to hold them to account to use their resources for social good. The commitments made here that are set to impact 50 crore people in India and around the world, and this is just the start,” The Global Education and Leadership Foundation CEO Gowri Ishwaran said.
Globally, the commitment stood at USD 5.93 billion, she added. Out of the USD 4.43 billion commitment to India, the largest chunk of USD 1.9 billion came from the International Finance Corporation out of which USD 100 million will be come in immediately to fight gender inequality, while Tata group chairman Ratan Tata committed Rs 300 crore from Tata Trusts over the next two years for water and sanitation programmes.
In response, leaders at the Global Citizen Festival India made 25 announcements and commitments, which are set to affect 500 million people (50 crore) people, with a collective value of USD 5.93 billion (Rs 40,500 crore).
These efforts secured four commitments that are set to affect the lives of more than 2 million women, including the International Finance Corporation, a private sector arm of the World Bank committing USD 2 billion towards banking on women and promoting women entrepreneurship by end 2019.
Six commitments were secured, including HP committing to provide 48 mobile classrooms, investing USD 3.6 million to result in 15 million people in rural areas of India getting access to quality education and technology over 6 years.
India's commitment to clean water and sanitation for all, secured 11 commitments and announcements that are set to affect the lives of 486 million people, including the Maharashtra government, Telengana government, IDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever India and the Centre.