To operationalise the ‘Partner City Affiliation Agreement’ between Varanasi and Kyoto, the Urban Development Ministry has set up an 11-member Steering Committee, an official statement said on Wednesday.
The agreement between Varanasi and Kyoto, which was signed during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan, referred to culture, art, academics, heritage conservation, and city modernisation as potential areas of cooperation.
The committee will facilitate actions pertaining to the modernisation of Varanasi, application of Japanese practices, techniques and management for conservation of the rich heritage of Varanasi, and exchanges between Kyoto University and Banaras Hindu University, as well as religious organisations, the statement from the ministry added.
For further talks, the Mayor of Kyoto Daisaku Kadokawa is scheduled to visit India at the end of this month.