The Indian freedom struggle is a unique example in
the history of mankind. The people of
all sections, rising above caste-creed, ‘panth’ and community considerations,
had come together to take part in
it. Starting from 1857 to 1947 it was the struggle and sacrifices of many
generations of people as a result of which Independence was achieved.
Lakhs of people had taken part in the freedom struggle.
Regular reverence is paid to Subhash Chander Bose, known as
Netaji, who formed the Indian National
Army (INA) to fight the Britishers. The
INA had given a big jolt to the mighty British Empire and the people always
remember him for his courage and sacrifice.
Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru, Udham Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai and
thousands of others scarified so that their countrymen could breathe
freely in Independent India.
Now it is the duty of the Central
and State Governments to look after the freedom fighters who are alive, their
spouses and dependent children. The
Central Government had instituted the
Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme under which 1,70,200 freedom fighters
and their dependents are at present getting pension. The number continues to vary every year, with
the death of old freedom fighters and their dependents and spouses getting the
same benefits.
At the time of independence, Punjab,
Haryana and Chandigarh was one state called Punjab. Some parts of Himachal Pradesh were also part
of Punjab. Keeping all these states and
Chandigarh, the total number of freedom fighters and their dependents getting
pension are 9406. If taken separately
as today, there are 7008 freedom fighters and their dependents in Punjab, 1685
in Haryana, 89 in Chandigarh and 624 in Himachal Pradesh.
Bihar (Including Jharkhand) tops the
list of pensioners with 24870 followed
by West bengal with 22484 and very close to it are members of the Azad Hind
Fauj (INA) with 22468. Uttar Pradesh has
17990 freedom fighters and their dependents, Andhra Pradesh with 14573, Jammu
and Kashmir with 1806, Karnataka with 10084, Maharashtra 17732, Delhi with 2044
and Gujarat with 3596.
The following is the complete list
Total (1,70,200) pensioners: Andhra
Pradesh (14573), Arunachal Pradesh (0),
Assam (4438), Bihar (including Jharkhand) (24870), Goa (1436), Gujarat
(3596), Haryana (1685), Himachal Pradesh (624), Jammu & Kashmir
(1806), Karnataka (10084), Kerala (3228),
Madhya Pradesh (3468), Maharashtra
(17732), Manipur (62), Meghalaya (86),
Mizoram (04), Nagaland (03), Orissa (4189), Punjab (7008), Rajasthan (811),
Sikkim (0), Tamil Nadu (4099), Tripura (887),
Uttar Pradesh (17990), West bengal (22484), Andaman and Nicobar (03),
Chandigarh (89), Dadar and Nagar Haveli (83), Daman and Diu (33), Lakshdweep
(0), Delhi (2044), Pondicherry (317), Azad Hind Fauj (INA) (22468).
Eligibility : The scheme specifies eligibility criteria of
imprisonment/underground sufferings of at least six months, internment in
homes/externment from districts for at
least six months, confiscation of properties, permanent incapacitation, loss of
job or suffering at least ten strokes of flogging, which a claimant should have
undergone in connection with the national freedom struggle, subject to
furnishing of the prescribed evidence through the state government
concerned.
Dependents : Spouses
(widows/widowers), unmarried and unemployed daughters (upto maximum three) and
parents of deceased freedom fighters (as also martyrs) are eligible for grant
of dependent family pension under the scheme.
The Swatantrata Sainik Samman
Pension Scheme has been liberalised from time to time. Under the scheme, pension is granted to
ex-Andaman Political prisoners, freedom fighters and their dependents. This includes provision for payment of
pension to freedom fighters under Goa liberation movement and those who
participated in the struggle for merger of erstwhile Nizam State of Hyderabad
with Union of India.
|
Sr.No.
|
Category
of freedom fighters
|
Basic
Pension
(in
rupees)
|
D.A.
|
Total
|
|
1.
|
Ex-Andaman
political prisoners
|
7330
|
4984
|
12,314
|
|
2.
|
Freedom
fighters who suffered outside British India (other than I.N.A.)
|
6830
|
4644
|
11,474
|
|
3.
|
Other
freedom fighters (including INA)
|
6330
|
4304
|
10,634
|
|
4.
|
Spouses
of above freedom fighters
|
Same
which the deceased freedom fighter was drawing
|
|
5.
|
Unmarried
and unemployed daughters(up to three)
|
1500
each
|
1020
each
|
2520
each
|
|
6.
|
Parents
(father & mother)
|
1000
each
|
680
each
|
1680
each
|
Facilities to Freedom Fighters :
·
Free railway
pass (Ist class/AC sleeper) for freedom fighter and widow/widower along with a companion for
life.
·
Free medical
facilities in all Central Government
hospitals and hospitals run by PSUs under the control of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
Facilities have also been extended to freedom fighters and their dependents.
·
Telephone
connection, subject to feasibility,
without installation charges and on payment of only half the rental.
·
General pool
residential accommodation (within the overall 5 per cent discretionary quota)
to freedom fighters in Delhi.
·
Widow/widower of
the freedom fighters is also permitted to retain the accommodation for a period
of six months after the death of the freedom fighter.
·
Accommodation in
the Freedom Fighters’ Home set up at New Delhi for freedom fighters who have no
one to look after the.
In
addition to the above facilities,
ex-Andaman freedom fighters are also entitled to the following facilities :
·
Free voyage
facility for freedom fighter and widow, to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
once a year, along with a companion.
·
Free air travel
facility for freedom fighters, to visit
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, once a year, along with a companion.
·
All major
facilities provided to freedom fighters are also extended to their
widows/widowers.
A
sum of Rs.550.05 crore has been earmarked for freedom fighters pension and
other facilities in 2008-09. This amount
was Rs.440.05 crore in 2007-08 and in revised budget for 2007-08 was increased to Rs.500.10 crore. For free railway passes Rs.35 crore has been kept for 2008-09 which was
Rs.31 crore in the revised budget for 2007-08. The eligibility criterion for grant of
pension on ground of jail suffering specifies a minimum period of six months which
the freedom fighters should have undergone in connection with the
freedom movement. However, as a special
dispensation for women freedom fighters and for members of the scheduled
castes/scheduled tribes, the minimum period has been kept at three months.
Eligible dependents or deceased freedom fighters for
grant of dependent family pension are spouses (widow/widower) unmarried and
unemployed daughters (upto three), mother and father. Hence, though sons have not been recognized
as eligible dependents, unmarried and unemployed daughters have been extended
this benefit.
*The writer is a veteran Journalist, Chandigarh
Disclaimer
: The views expressed by the author
in this feature are entirely his own and do not necessarily reflect the
views of PIB.
RTS/VN
SS-26/SF-26/23.01.2009
(Release ID :46963)