Srinagar, June 16: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today launched the ‘Reimagining Jammu & Kashmir’, a coffee table book by Photojournalist Ashish Sharma, at New Delhi.

In his address, the Lieutenant Governor commended the Photojournalist Ashish Sharma for factually presenting the continuous changes taking place in Jammu and Kashmir and development in various sectors since abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

“Under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi J&K has regained its identity of ‘Paradise’ post 2019 and Ashish Sharma’s watchful photographic journey captures that transformation.

In the history of J&K, 5 August and 6 June will always be remembered. While abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019 paved the way for J&K’s complete integration, 6 June physically connected Kashmir to Kanyakumari and its citizens’ aspirations with national mainstream.

This coffee table book is an attempt to present before the nation the transformation that has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five years,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor, in his address, highlighted the efforts made by the J&K Administration, under the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, to build a Jammu and Kashmir, which is free from all kinds of discrimination, fear and insecurity.

“My message from day one was very clear – we do not believe in buying peace but want to establish peace. I had given another vision to the security agencies – do not harass the innocent, do not spare the guilty.

The administration has been successful to a large extent in realising the vision of 4 Ps – Peace, Progress, Prosperity and People First. Our infrastructure has transformed at an unprecedented pace and economy is showing impressive growth,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor reiterated that the administration, while transforming urban landscape and developing our cities, has paid special attention to facilities, sustainability and quality living for the common citizens.

“Nightlife for any city is not just a clock but a symbol of the liveliness and the cities of Kashmir valley have regained their vibrancy now. Jammu and Kashmir’s relationship with lakes and rivers has been revived after decades.

Our industry, Startups and Agriculture sectors witnessed rapid growth over 5 successive years. Youth are fulfilling their dreams through entrepreneurship and around one million availed the opportunity of self-employment within 4 years and it has been ensured that no section of society is left behind,” he further said.

The Lieutenant Governor also lauded the significant efforts behind the coffee table book, which remarkably showcases J&K’s extraordinary journey and unprecedented growth across all sectors.

Books are documents of time, especially coffee table books present progress through captivating photographs. We can see J&K is on the move through Ashish’s Camera, he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also cautioned the people against the fear mongers who are making misleading statements, without any substance, and threatening the peace.

“People should do their politics but not at the cost of unity and integrity of our great nation,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Meenakshi Lekhi, former Union Minister of State; Ram Bahadur Rai, President IGNCA; Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA; Prof. Ramesh C. Gaur, Director & Head, Kala Nidhi, IGNCA and prominent citizens from all walks of life were present.

New Delhi, Jun 16: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah today addressed the annual conference of Relief Commissioners and Disaster Response Forces from States and Union Territories, underlining India’s transition from a relief-centric approach to a proactive and integrated disaster management framework over the past decade. Speaking as the chief guest at the event held in New Delhi, Shah was joined by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and other senior officials.

In his keynote address, Shah stressed that the government’s adoption of a “Whole of Government” approach has helped unify various disaster management agencies under one platform. Over the past two years, this integration has facilitated improved coordination and the formation of a think tank that has enhanced the country’s overall preparedness. “Multi-agency collaboration and a multi-stakeholder strategy have made our systems stronger and more efficient,” he said.

Citing the rising frequency and intensity of disasters due to climate change, Shah pointed to India’s emergence as a global leader in disaster risk reduction. He credited institutions such as the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for their contributions. He particularly lauded the NDMA for its work on policy development, training materials, digital tools, and coordination, and the NDRF for building nationwide credibility through rigorous training of both its own personnel and those of State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs).

Amit Shah called the past 10 years under the Modi government a “transformative decade” in disaster response, marked by improvements in capacity, speed, efficiency, and accuracy. Disaster preparedness has been expanded down to the tehsil level, while forecasting and early warning systems have helped involve communities more effectively in relief and rescue efforts.

Highlighting a paradigm shift in India’s disaster management philosophy, Shah said the government has moved away from a purely relief-oriented strategy to one focused on “zero casualty.” He attributed the reduction in disaster-related fatalities to better forecasting, public participation, and inter-agency cooperation. Citing examples, he noted that while the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha killed around 10,000 people, Cyclone Fani in 2019 resulted in just one casualty, and Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat saw zero deaths—even among animals.

Financial empowerment has been a cornerstone of this strategy. According to Shah, the total disaster response budget increased from ₹66,000 crore (2004–2014) to ₹2 lakh crore (2014–2024). This includes an increase in the SDRF budget from ₹38,000 crore to ₹1.44 lakh crore, and the NDRF budget from ₹28,000 crore to ₹84,000 crore. For the first time, a ₹68,000 crore National Disaster Risk Management Fund has also been created.

Shah called on all Relief Commissioners to ensure that District Disaster Management Plans are finalized within the next 90 days. “Without such plans at the district level, a swift and effective disaster response is not possible,” he warned. He also emphasized the urgent need to roll out lightning-specific action plans and noted that many states have yet to implement the Incident Response System.

Modernization of fire services and localised action plans for heatwaves are also on the agenda. Shah highlighted NDMA’s issuance of 38 guidelines and 34 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), calling for their dissemination to the grassroots level.

Looking ahead, the Home Minister proposed making inter-state mock drills an annual event and integrating Start-up India into the development of disaster-response technology. He said the government is training one lakh community volunteers—20% of them women—under the Yuva Aapda Mitra (Young Disaster Friends) scheme, with an investment of ₹470 crore.

Shah also encouraged states to actively participate in the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar by sending nominations. He noted that the NDRF has doubled in size, from 8 battalions in 2006 to 16 now, and that the NDMA has begun night-time mock drills in sensitive areas like Leh-Ladakh. Successful cyclone mitigation projects in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were cited as examples of effective risk reduction. “In the coming decade, our vision is to prepare every young Indian to be a disaster warrior—ready to respond with courage, training, and a spirit of service,” Shah concluded.

New Delhi, June 16: Condemning the brutal Pahalgam terror attack in April, global watchdog FATF on Monday said it has enhanced its focus on the steps that the countries have taken to combat terror financing, and will soon release a report on terror financing cases, including state-sponsored terrorism.

The rare condemnation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) shows that the “international community has felt the severity of the attack”, which killed 26 people in Pahalgam, Kashmir,on April 22, and spotlights that such attacks will not go unpunished, sources said, adding the terror attack was done by Pakistan-trained terrorists.

“Terrorist attacks kill, maim and inspire fear around the world. The FATF notes with grave concern and condemns the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. This, and other recent attacks, could not occur without money and the means to move funds between terrorist supporters,” the FATF said in a statement.

Sources said FATF rarely issues condemnation of terrorist acts. It is only the third time in last decade that they have issued condemnation of a terrorist attack.

It had earlier issued condemnations once in 2015 and then in 2019 in severe cases of terrorist attacks.

The FATF statement comes in the backdrop of Indian authorities highlighting Pakistan’s persistent support for terrorism and its funnelling of multilateral funds for arms procurement.

According to sources, such action by Pakistan warrants that the country be put in the “grey list” of the FATF.

India has consistently held that Pakistan has given safe haven to designated terrorists and the same was evident when senior military officials were present at the funeral of the terrorists killed in Indian military attacks of May 7.

Ahead of the next meeting of the Asia Pacific Group (APG) of FATF on August 25 and the next FATF plenary and working group meeting on October 20, India is preparing a dossier on the omissions and commissions by Pakistan with respect to FATF anti-money laundering and terror financing norms.

India will be submitting to the FATF for grey listing of Pakistan.

The FATF, which is a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog and sets international standards that aim to prevent these illegal activities, also said that it will soon release a “comprehensive analysis of terrorist financing”, compiling cases provided by its global network consisting 200 jurisdictions.

“It will also host a webinar to help public and private sectors understand the risks and stay alert to emerging threats,” it added.

Sources said the report on terror financing risks would be released in a month’s time. This is the first time the concept of “state sponsored terrorism” is being acknowledged by FATF as a funding source.

“Only India’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) recognises state-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan as a key TF risk. The inclusion of ‘state sponsored terrorism’ as a concept in the report demonstrates international recognition of state-sponsored terrorism by Pakistan,” sources added.

Pakistan’s history with FATF’s ‘grey list’ dates back to February 2008, when it was placed in the monitoring list. In June 2010 it was removed from the list, only to be brought back in February 2012, and then removed again in February 2015.

It was brought back in the list again for the third time in June 2018, and was later removed in October 2022 with FATF asking Pakistan to continue to work with APG to further improve its anti-moneylaundering/combating the financing of terror (AML/CFT) system.

Currently, there are 24 countries in FATF ‘grey list’. These countries are under increased monitoring and they have to address strategic deficiencies to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.

The FATF statement further said that as terrorism continues to threaten societies and citizens around the world, the global watchdog is supporting over 200 jurisdictions within its global network to build and enhance their counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) measures including through the strategic use of financial intelligence — making this one of the most powerful instruments for dismantling terrorist financing networks.

“In addition to setting out the framework for combating terrorist financing, the FATF has enhanced its focus on the effectiveness of measures countries have put in place. That is how, through our mutual evaluations, we have identified gaps that need to be addressed,” it added.

The FATF has been working for 10 years to help countries stay ahead of terrorist financing risk — for example relating to abuse of social media, crowd funding, and virtual assets.

FATF President Elisa de Anda Madrazo at the recent ‘No Money for Terror Conference’ in Munich, had said: “No single company, authority, or country can combat this challenge alone. We must be unified against the scourge of global terrorism. Because terrorists need to succeed only once to achieve their goal, while we have to succeed every time to prevent it.”

Nicosia [Cyprus], June 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III – the highest honour in Cyprus, by President Nikos Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia on Monday.

The Order of Makarios III, the highest merit honour awarded in Cyprus, is named after Makarios III, the first president of the Republic of Cyprus. It is conferred upon heads of state and other people of significant status in recognition of meritorious service to the nation.

PM Modi expressed gratitude to President Christodoulides, the government and people of Cyprus for the honour.

“President, for the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, I express heartfelt gratitude to you, the Government of Cyprus and the people of Cyprus. This honour is not just mine, it is the honour of 140 crore Indians. It is the honour of their capabilities and aspirations. It is the honour of our country’s cultural brotherhood and the ideology of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. I dedicate this honour to the friendly relations between India and Cyprus and our shared values and mutual understanding. On behalf of all Indians, I accept this honour with utmost humility and gratitude,” PM Modi said.

He further said, “This honour symbolises our unwavering commitment to peace, security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of our people. I understand the significance of this honour and accept it as a responsibility towards the relations between India and Cyprus.”

He expressed confidence that the ties between two nations will touch new heights.

He stated, “I am confident that in the time to come, our active partnership will touch new heights. Together, we will not only strengthen the progress of our two nations but also contribute towards building a peaceful and secure global environment.”

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “An award dedicated to the trusted India-Cyprus friendship & 1.4 billion people of India. President @Christodulides conferred PM @narendramodi with the ‘Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III’ of Cyprus. The honour reflects the enduring India – Cyprus bilateral partnership and shared commitment to work together for the common vision for peace, progress and prosperity.”

Christodoulides welcomed PM Modi to the Presidential Palace in Nicosia earlier today. The Cypriot President and PM Modi introduced each other to the delegates from their respective countries.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “Strengthening ties with a trusted partner. PM @narendramodi was warmly received by President @Christodulides at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia today and accorded a ceremonial welcome. Official talks lie ahead.”

PM Modi had arrived in Cyprus on Sunday afternoon (local time), marking the first visit by an Indian PM to the island nation in over two decades. He was received by the Cypriot President at Larnaca International Airport.

He received a heartfelt welcome from the Indian diaspora in Limassol.

Upon his arrival, PM Modi, along with Cyprus President Christodoulides, interacted with leading CEOs during the business roundtable. During the interaction, PM Modi spoke about India’s reform trajectory in the last decade.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Boosting business linkages! President Nikos Christodoulides and I interacted with leading CEOs to add vigour to commercial linkages between India and Cyprus. Sectors like innovation, energy, technology and more offer immense potential. I also talked about India’s reform trajectory in the last decade.”

The Cyprus Presidency in a post on X said that Cyprus is deepening and expanding economic cooperation with India.

It said, “Roundtable discussion with the Indian Prime Minister and members of the Cyprus and Indian business communities: Today, we are building more bridges; we are deepening and expanding economic cooperation between Cyprus and India. Together, we are entering a new era of strategic partnership, founded on trust and our shared values, driven by innovation and inspired by our rich historical journey and the vast horizon that opens before us. Together, Cyprus and India send a strong message of cooperation and prosperity, and at the same time, a message of hope.”