Lok Sabha Question No. 254 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 254

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  JULY, 2025/ ASHADHA 13, 1947 (SAKA)

SWATANTRATA SAINIK SAMMAN YOJANA

254.  SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details and total number of freedom fighters who have received a Central pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) till date, State-wise data;
- (b) the number of these pensioners who are still alive and their distribution, State-wise;
- (c) the number of widows of freedom fighters who are currently receiving a family pension and the number who are still alive, State-wise;
- (d)  the  eligibility  criteria  for  a  family  pension  under  this  scheme  and  the eligibility criteria for the dependents;
- (e)  the  total  amount  of  funds  allocated  and  disbursed  for  the  scheme during the last five years, year-wise and State-wise; and
- (f)  whether  there  is  a  central  repository  where  details  of  all  freedom fighters and their contributions can be accessed by the public, if not, the reasons for not creating such a database?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

- (a):   There are 171689 Freedom Fighters who received a Central pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) till date, state-wise data is enclosed at Annexure-I.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 254 FOR 22.07.2025

(b): There  are  13212 pensioners  who  are  still  alive  and  receiving  SSSY Samman pension. State-wise data is given at Annexure-II;

- (c): There    are  9778    widows  (spouse)  who  are  still  alive  and    are receiving  SSSY Samman  pension. State-wise data is given at AnnexureIII.
- (d): The  eligibility  criteria  for  a  family  pension  and  for  the  dependents under this scheme is given at Annexure -IV.

## (e): The total funds allotted and disbursed for the scheme during the last five years is as under :

|   S.No. | Year    | Budget allotted (in crore)   |   Fund Disbursed (in crore) |
|---------|---------|------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|       1 | 2020-21 | Rs.760                       |                      660.14 |
|       2 | 2021-22 | Rs.717                       |                      717    |
|       3 | 2022-23 | Rs.650                       |                      599.29 |
|       4 | 2023-24 | Rs.589                       |                      539.67 |
|       5 | 2024-25 | Rs.600                       |                      599.29 |

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 254 FOR 22.07.2025

However, State-wise disbursement of fund on account of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana is not maintained by this Ministry.

(f): Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), New Delhi which is an autonomous  body  of  M/o  Human  Resource  Development,  Govt.  of  India maintain  the  list  of  freedom  fighters/martyrs  of  India  freedom  struggle under a project entitled 'Dictionary of Martyrs : Indian Freedom Struggle (18571947)'.

******

## Annexure 'I'

## LS.US.Q.NO.254 FOR 22.07.2025

## TOTAL NUMBER OF FREEDOM FIGHTERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED CENTRAL PENSION UNDER THE SWATANTRATA SAINIK SAMMAN YOJANA TILL DATE.

|   S.No. | Name of State/Union Territory   | Number of freedom fighters/their eligible dependents who have been sanctioned pension   |
|---------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Andhra Pradesh                  |                                                                                         |
|       2 | Telangana                       | 15286                                                                                   |
|       3 | Assam                           | 4442                                                                                    |
|       4 | Bihar &                         |                                                                                         |
|       5 | Jharkhand                       | 24905                                                                                   |
|       6 | Goa                             | 1508                                                                                    |
|       7 | Gujrat                          | 3599                                                                                    |
|       8 | Haryana                         | 1692                                                                                    |
|       9 | Himachal Pradesh                | 633                                                                                     |
|      10 | Jammu & Kashmir                 | 1807                                                                                    |
|      11 | Karnataka                       | 10105                                                                                   |
|      12 | Kerala                          | 3429                                                                                    |
|      13 | Madhya Pradesh &                |                                                                                         |
|      14 | Chhattisgarh                    | 3488                                                                                    |
|      15 | Maharashtra                     | 17974                                                                                   |
|      16 | Manipur                         | 63                                                                                      |
|      17 | Meghalaya                       | 86                                                                                      |
|      18 | Mizoram                         | 4                                                                                       |

<!-- image -->

| 19   | Nagaland                   | 3      |
|------|----------------------------|--------|
| 20   | Odisha                     | 4197   |
| 21   | Punjab                     | 7042   |
| 22   | Rajasthan                  | 814    |
| 23   | Tamil Nadu                 | 4147   |
| 24   | Tripura                    | 888    |
| 25   | Uttar Pradesh &            | 18004  |
| 26   | Uttrakhand                 |        |
| 27   | West Bengal                | 22523  |
| 28   | Andaman & Nicobar Islands  | 3      |
| 29   | Chandigarh                 | 91     |
| 30   | Dadra & Nagar Haveli       | 83     |
| 31   | Daman & Diu                | 33     |
| 32   | NCT of Delhi               | 2048   |
| 33   | Puducherry                 | 320    |
| 34   | Indian National Army (INA) | 22472  |
|      | Total                      | 171689 |

*****

## LS.US.Q.NO.254 FOR 22.07.2025

## TOTAL NUMBER OF PENSIONERS WHO ARE STILL  ALIVE  AND THEIR STATEWISE DISTRIBUTIONS.

| Sl.No.   | State             |   Number of Central Freedom fighter pensioners (Freedom fighter/Spouse/Daughter) |
|----------|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR |                                                                                1 |
| 2        | ANDHRA PRADESH    |                                                                              232 |
| 3        | ASSAM             |                                                                              302 |
| 4        | BIHAR             |                                                                              988 |
| 5        | CHANDIGARH        |                                                                                9 |
| 6        | CHHATTISGARH      |                                                                               24 |
| 7        | DAMAN & DIU       |                                                                               10 |
| 8        | DELHI             |                                                                              109 |
| 9        | GOA               |                                                                              406 |
| 10       | GUJARAT           |                                                                              123 |
| 11       | HARYANA           |                                                                              232 |
| 12       | HIMACHAL PRADESH  |                                                                              243 |
| 13       | JAMMU & KASHMIR   |                                                                              355 |
| 14       | JHARKHAND         |                                                                               84 |
| 15       | KARNATAKA         |                                                                              758 |
| 16       | KERALA            |                                                                              602 |
| 17       | MADHYA PRADESH    |                                                                              123 |
| 18       | MAHARASHTRA       |                                                                             1543 |
| 19       | MANIPUR           |                                                                                9 |
| 20       | MEGHALAYA         |                                                                                7 |
| 21       | MIZORAM           |                                                                                1 |
| 22       | NAGALAND          |                                                                                0 |
| 23       | ODISHA            |                                                                              239 |
| 24       | PUDUCHERRY        |                                                                               51 |
| 25       | PUNJAB            |                                                                              382 |
| 26       | RAJASTHAN         |                                                                              106 |
| 27       | TAMIL NADU        |                                                                              801 |
| 28       | TELANGANA         |                                                                             3017 |
| 29       | TRIPURA           |                                                                               91 |
| 30       | UTTAR PRADESH     |                                                                              387 |
| 31       | UTTARAKHAND       |                                                                              178 |
| 32       | WEST BENGAL       |                                                                             1799 |
|          | Grand Total       |                                                                            13212 |

*****

## LS.US.Q.NO.254 FOR 22.07.2025

## STATEWISE  LIST OF TOTAL NUMBER OF WIDOWS/SPOUSE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE AND   DRAWING PENSION UNDER SWATANTRATA SAINIK SAMMAN YOJANA.

| S.No.   | State             |   Number of dependent Spouse/Widows /Daughters pensioners |
|---------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| 1       | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR |                                                         1 |
| 2       | ANDHRA PRADESH    |                                                       180 |
| 3       | ASSAM             |                                                       177 |
| 4       | BIHAR             |                                                       693 |
| 5       | CHANDIGARH        |                                                         8 |
| 6       | CHHATTISGARH      |                                                        19 |
| 7       | DAMAN & DIU       |                                                         6 |
| 8       | DELHI             |                                                        81 |
| 9       | GOA               |                                                       304 |
| 10      | GUJARAT           |                                                        81 |
| 11      | HARYANA           |                                                       198 |
| 12      | HIMACHAL PRADESH  |                                                       199 |
| 13      | JAMMU & KASHMIR   |                                                       252 |
| 14      | JHARKHAND         |                                                        68 |
| 15      | KARNATAKA         |                                                       588 |
| 16      | KERALA            |                                                       483 |
| 17      | MADHYA PRADESH    |                                                        91 |
| 18      | MAHARASHTRA       |                                                      1274 |
| 19      | MANIPUR           |                                                         4 |
| 20      | MEGHALAYA         |                                                         4 |
| 21      | MIZORAM           |                                                         0 |
| 22      | NAGALAND          |                                                         0 |
| 23      | ODISHA            |                                                       198 |
| 24      | PUDUCHERRY        |                                                        35 |
| 25      | PUNJAB            |                                                       274 |
| 26      | RAJASTHAN         |                                                       101 |
| 27      | TAMIL NADU        |                                                       660 |
| 28      | TELANGANA         |                                                      2165 |
| 29      | TRIPURA           |                                                        56 |
| 30      | UTTAR PRADESH     |                                                       314 |
| 31      | UTTARAKHAND       |                                                       169 |
| 32      | WEST BENGAL       |                                                      1095 |
|         | Total             |                                                      9778 |

## Annexure-IV LS.US.Q.NO.254 FOR 22.07.2025

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR GRANT OF PENSION TO FREEDOM FIGHTERS UNDER  CENTRAL  SWATANTRATA  SAINIK  SAMMAN  PENSION  SCHEME, 1980

1. A person who had suffered a minimum imprisonment of six months in mainland  jails  before  Independence.    Ex-INA  personnel  are  also eligible  for  pension  if  the  imprisonment/detention  suffered  by  them was  outside  India  for  six  months  or  more.    In  case  of  women  and SC/ST freedom fighters, the minimum period of actual imprisonment for eligibility of pension is three months.
2. A person who remained underground for six months or more provided he was:-
- i.  A proclaimed offender;
- ii. One on whom an award for arrest/head was announced, or iii.One whose detention order was issued but not served.
3. A person who was interned in his home or externed from his district under the orders of the competent authority for six months or more.
4. A person whose property was confiscated or attached and sold due to participation in the National Freedom Struggle.
5. A  person  who  was  permanently  incapacitated  during  firing  or  lathi charge.

6. A person who lost his Government job (including job in a local body) for participation in the National Freedom Struggle.
7. To become eligible for pension an applicant has to submit documentary  evidence  duly  verified  by  the  State  Govt.  along  with their recommendation as per the following details:-

## IN CASE OF IMPRISONMENT:-

- (a) Imprisonment/detention  certificate  from  the  concerned  jail  authority, District Magistrate or the State Govt. indicating the period of sentence awarded,  date  of  admission,  date  of  release,  facts  of  the  case  and reasons for release.
- (b) In  case  of  records  of  the  relevant  period  are  not  available,  the secondary  evidences  in  the  form  of  2  co-prisoner  certificates  (CPC) from  freedom  fighters  who  have  proven  jail  suffering  of  minimum  1 year and who were with the applicant in the jail could be considered provided the State Government/Union Territory Administration concerned,  after  due  verification  of  the  claim  and  its  genuineness, certifies  that  documentary  evidences  from  the  official  records  in support  of  the  claimed  sufferings  were  not  available.    In  case  the certifier happens to be a sitting or Ex. M.P./M.L.A., only one certificate in place of the two is required.

## IN CASE OF UNDERGROUND SUFFERING:-

- (a) Documentary evidence by way of Court's/Govt's order proclaiming the applicant as an absconder, announcing an award on his head or for his arrest or ordering his detention.
- (b) In  case  records  of  the  relevant  period  are  not  available,  secondary evidence in the form of  a Personal Knowledge Certificate (PKC) from a prominent freedom fighter who has proven jail suffering of  a minimum two years and who happened to be from the same administrative unit could  be  considered  provided  the  State  Government/Union  Territory Administration  concerned,  after  due  verification  of  the  claim  and  its genuineness,  certifies  that  documentary  evidences  from  the  official records in support of the claimed sufferings were not available.

## IN CASE OF INTERNMENT/EXTERNMENT:-

A  person  who,  on  account  of  participation  in  the  freedom  struggle,  was interned in his home or externed from his district for a minimum period of 6 months  is eligible subject to furnishing of order of internment or externment issued by the competent authority,  from  official  records.    In absence  of  the  official  records,  Non-availability  of  Records  Certificate (NARC)  from  the  concerned  authorities   along   with  a  certificate   from

## Annexure-IV LS.US.Q.NO.254 FOR 22.07.2025

prominent  freedom  fighters  who  had  themselves  undergone  suffering  of imprisonment for two years or more.

## IN CASE OF LOSS OF PROPERTY:-

A  person  whose  property  was  confiscated  or  attached  and  sold  due  to participation  in  the  freedom  struggle  is  eligible  subject  to  furnishing  of orders  of  confiscation  and  sale  of  property,  provided  that  the  persons whose property was restored are not eligible for Samman Pension.

## IN CASE OF PERMANENT INCAPACITATION:-

- (a) Certificate from the District Magistrate stating that permanent incapacitation  was  done  by  bullet  injury/lathi  charge  sustained  during participation in the National freedom Struggle and
- (b) Medical certificate from the Civil Surgeon in support of the handicap.

## IN CASE OF LOSS OF GOVERNMENT JOB:-

A  person  who  lost  his  Govt.  job  for  participation  in  freedom  struggle  is eligible  subject  to  furnishing  of  orders  of  dismissal  or  removal  from service.  However, persons who were reinstated in service before expiry of

Annexure-IV LS.US.Q.NO.254 FOR 22.07.2025

two years from their dismissal or removal from service and were in receipt of benefits or pay and allowances are not eligible for pension.

## IN CASE OF CANING/FLOGGING/WHIPPING:-

A person who was awarded the punishment of 10 strokes of caning/flogging/whipping  due  to  his  participation  in  freedom  struggle  is eligible subject to furnishing of copies of orders passed by the competent authority from official records.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR A FAMILY PENSION AND FOR THE DEPENDENTS UNDER THE SCHEMES

For the purpose of grant of Samman pension, family, after death of a freedom fighter pensioner, family pension is granted to his/her spouse and after  death  of  the  spouse  their  unmarried  daughters  (upto  maximum  of three  such  daughters),  mother  or  father  are  granted  dependent  family pension.

*****