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Anti-money laundering pact with Cyprus to boost investment cross-flows: Kovind
Nicosia, Sep 3 (IANS) An anti-money laundering memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between India and Cyprus will help boost investment cross-flows between the two countries, President Ram Nath Kovind said here on Monday.
“We welcome the signing of the MoU between Financial Intelligence Unit, India, and the Unit for Combating Money Laundering of Cyprus,” Kovind said while addressing the media after a bilateral meeting with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.
“This agreement would further strengthen the institutional framework to facilitate investment cross-flows,” he said.
Cyprus is the eighth largest investor in India with a cumulative investment of around $9.2 billion.
“We also emphasised that the revision in the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement made in 2016 provided greater opportunities for our investment partnership to grow,” Kovind said.
Stating that he and President Anastasiades held detailed discussions on the way forward for bilateral long-standing and excellent relations, Kovind said: “We reviewed our ongoing bilateral and multilateral engagements and discussed issues of regional and global concern.”
Apart from the agreement on combating money laundering, India and Cyprus also signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of environment.
Kovind said that he and Anastasiades called for enhancing business collaboration in the fields of IT and IT-enabled services, tourism, shipping and renewable energy.
The Indian President thanked Anastasiades for his “express support for an early adoption of the India-initiated Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN.
“I thanked Cyprus for extending support for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council,” Kovind said.
“I also expressed our gratitude to Cyprus for extending continued and strong support to India for its membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and help us move on clean energy pathway.”
Kovind arrived here on Sunday on the first leg of his eight-day three-nation tour of Central Europe that will also see him visiting Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
His visit comes in the wake of Anastasiades’s visit to India in April last year.
–IANS
ab/prs
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.