Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project in Nausari, about 40 km from Muzaffarabad.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Pakistan’s allegation that India had targeted the Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric project in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an “absolute and complete fabrication”, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday, suggesting that Pakistan was attempting to use the claim as a “pretext” to target “Indian infrastructure of a similar nature”.

“I want to say that this is an absolute and complete fabrication and a blatant lie… I should note that if this kind of claim is a pretext for targeting Indian infrastructure of a similar nature, Pakistan will be entirely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow,” Mr. Misri said at a special press briefing here.

Mr. Misri also said that contrary to reports in Pakistani and Turkish media, the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of India and Pakistan have not been in contact since Operation Sindoor took place early on Wednesday morning.

Official sources emphasised that India had not considered targets that fall in the category of infrastructure in Pakistan. Pakistan’s allegations came in the backdrop of India’s announcement of putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) ‘in abeyance’ following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

Mr. Misri argued that Pakistan has been spreading “disinformation” about the IWT and gave an indication of the Indian assessment of the treaty, saying that “over the last year-and-a-half to two years”, India has sent “several notices to them [Pakistan] requesting for negotiations to discuss a modification of the treaty”.

“India has for over six decades now, honoured the treaty, even during periods when Pakistan imposed multiple wars on us, and even when relations were adversarial. Pakistan is the one that has been acting in violation of the treaty,” said Mr. Misri, accusing the neighbouring country of “hampering” India’s rights to use its “legitimate waters under the treaty.”

Mr Misri said there are a number of changes that have taken place in the realms of technology, climate and demographics that need to be taken into account regarding the Indus Waters Treaty. “This is a treaty that was based on the engineering techniques of the ’50s and the ’60s. We are living through the first quarter of the 21st century. Technological changes and technological advancements have to be taken into account,” argued Mr. Misri.

NEW DELHI: Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has accumulated over 7.65 crore subscribers, mobilised a total corpus of Rs 45,974.67 crore by April, according to a government release.According to the official data, APY recorded increasing participation from women who now comprise about 48 per cent of all subscribers.To address the twin challenges of longevity risks and lack of retirement security among India’s vast unorganised workforce, the Government of India launched the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) on 9th May 2015 and was operationalised from June 1, 2015. The scheme was designed to encourage voluntary savings for retirement by offering defined pension benefits, linked to the age of joining and the amount of contribution. Targeted primarily at poor and underprivileged workers in the informal sector, the scheme has emerged as one of the most inclusive and accessible social security initiatives in India.The Atal Pension Yojana has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s social security ecosystem, especially for its vast unorganised workforce. With 7.65 crore subscribers and a steadily growing pension corpus, the scheme not only ensures financial independence for the elderly but also promotes long-term savings culture among low-income households. The government’s continued focus on digital integration, women participation, and rural outreach has helped broaden APY’s footprint across India, the release added. With women making up over 55 per cent of new subscribers in FY 2024-25 and a significant surge in overall enrolments during the same period, the Atal Pension Yojana is steadily progressing toward its vision of “Pension for All.”The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a government-backed pension scheme targeting workers in the unorganised sector who lack formal retirement benefits. It is open to Indian citizens aged 18 to 40, though since 1st October 2022, income taxpayers are no longer eligible. The scheme offers a fixed monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 starting at age 60, with contributions based on the age of joining and the chosen pension amount. A minimum contribution period of 20 years is required. Initially, the government co-contributed 50 per cent of the subscriber’s contribution or up to Rs 1,000 annually for five years for those who enrolled between June 2015 and March 2016, provided they were not income taxpayers or part of any statutory social security scheme. The APY is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the National Pension System (NPS) framework.